The Lady in Waiting
by feenxphyre
Summary: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. But what happens when the lines are blurred and you can't tell the two apart? She must now choose between her love for Caleb and her friendship with Chase, both of whom will stop at nothing to Claim her...
1. July 14th

**DISCLAIMER:** Unfortunately, I do not own The Covenant or any of its affiliates (ex: Caleb, Pogue, Kate, Sarah, Tyler, Reid, Aaron, Keira, and/or Provost Higgins.). I do, however, own Sheila, who is an original character.

**FULL SUMMARY: **Born into an elite (and very strict) upbringing, they are the sexiest, smartest, and most talented. They are the Ladies in Waiting and they hold a secret, each carrying the Power in their DNA until the day when they meet the Sons. It can take years after the Sons Ascend before they meet their Ladies. If any of the Sons ever "touch" (even a mere handshake) their Lady, he'll know immediately and must claim her through Marking. Once she Ascends, they achieve ultimate Power and become each other's lives. If he dies, the Lady will soon follow (or vice versa).

Sheila Higgins comes to Spenser in trepidation. Her father's passing left her with nothing and being adopted by the Provost of Spenser Academy was definitely not in her plans. But being that he was an old friend of her father's, she accepts his offer and moves to the Academy that same summer.

Strange happenings surround her arrival and as the year progresses, untold secrets and buried legends come to light. Brought to Spenser under special and very strategic circumstances, someone wants her, or rather, her power and will stop at nothing to Claim her.

She is a Lady, conceived to bring one of the Sons hope for the future...

But during all this planning, someone to forgot to tell Sheila...

**A/N: **This story is rated for the simple reason that in future chapters there will be VERY adult themes happening. Caleb/OC. My story is loosely based on the movie. Some moments I kept in, simply because I like them, but really I just followed the movie's time line. I just added a few extra details to fatten it up! This first chapter happens the week before school starts in the movie, but here, I pushed it back a month or so. July 14th, for my own reasons, of course. So, my story starts in the middle of the summer rather than the beginning of the school year! Thank you so much! Please review... I'd appreciate any feedback!

**P.S.:** I just realized that this an extremely loooong chapter, but please, PLEASE, bare with me... all this is significant, I promise.

**CHAPTER ONE:**

**JULY 14TH**

Sheila fiddled with the buttons on the cracked dashboard, the monotone hot air blasting from the vents in a lazy drawl. "Son of a bitch." She cursed, slapping the dash with an open palm. "Damn A/C." She could already feel her shirt sticking, unladylike, to her back as she turned off the broken unit. She took in a deep, ragged breath of stuffy air and with a quick glance in her rearview mirror, tapped the button for her emergency lights and pulled onto the dirt-covered roadside, her father's sleeping form shifting slightly in the turn.

He opened his eyes, blinking rapidly. "Are we there yet?" He asked, yawning.

"No, the A/C's screwing up again. I'm going to put the top down." He nodded, eyes closing, mouth opening and closing a few times before he settled back into his dreams.

She smiled at him and turned the ignition off, the big, purring engine of the '67 Mustang dying at her touch. Sheila grabbed the steering wheel with both hands, gripping hard as she let out a sigh, hot tears pricking the corners of her almond-shaped eyes. She looked at the top of her father's head and tentatively let her fingertips touch his soft, graying hair. _'I could turn around now and just go back...' _She thought, wiping the wetness from under her eyes. She let out a laugh, a laugh so out of place in this situation. _'Go back to what...?' _

She shook her head, the reverie breaking, and leaning down to pull the lever, popped the button for her convertible top. Sheila could feel the outside air sneaking in through the cracks under the top. It was much cooler than the air in the car, and as she unlocked and pushed open the somewhat rusty door, it hit her full blast, chilling the sweat on her body. She involuntarily shuddered.

The cold wind blew harder as she stepped onto the road, her skirt flying above her knees revealing her smooth, tanned thighs. She gasped, clutching at her skirt. Sheila could have sworn that she heard a light laugh, masked to sound like thunder rumbling in the rapidly darkening Massachusetts sky. She wrapped her jacket tighter around her petite frame and pulled the frayed drop top up and back, locking it into place behind the head rests of the backseat. Thunder boomed again. She watched as the trees shook in angry response to the howling wind.

Lightning flashed white-blue, adding to the mix of low rumbles and random spatter of Spenser rain. She shielded her eyes from the brightness and saw him, no it!, crouching there by the nearest tree, eyes fixated on hers. She was not afraid. She has seen this creature, this darkling, before in her dreams. _'Someone has a sick sense of humor...' _She thought as she looked at the darkling that was in the disguise of her late mother. She recognized her from her father's pictures.

"What do you want?" It raised a hand towards her, their eyes still locked, lightning flaring again. It threw its head back, mouth agape, lips stuck together, revealing holes where his true mouth should be. It seemed to be laughing at her, its body shaking in a grotesque manner, noises escaping its maw in gurgles. Sheila's eyes flashed gold, despite the darkness, and it disappeared. She sighed.

The brief rain had suddenly stopped and, without touching them, she knew her white leather seats were damp with regurgitated seawater, her father's clothes clinging to his body as he lay in a fetal position. He did not wake, despite the rain. She put on a fake pout. "Now what am I going to do about this?" Her eyes flared black, dark as the surrounding woods and with just as much creepiness. With her cheeks puffed slightly, she blew out, the Mustang trying to steady itself against her less than fierce spell, her father's hair ruffling slightly. She slid into the now dry seat and laughed. "I love that!"

She was still laughing when she felt something tiny land on her cheek. She looked into the rearview mirror, expecting to see a drop of rain, but instead a tiny spider made home to her flushed cheek. It sat completely still, as if staring back at her in the mirror. She gently picked it off her cheek and crushed it between her pointer finger and thumb. _'An imp...' _She thought. The wind bit at her again, her hair swirling around her head.

'_Sheila...' _It whistled. She glanced around, holding her hair away from her eyes. _'Sheila... come to me...' _The trees swayed as if they were the ones trying to entice her. Her eyes went completely black and she scanned the surrounding area, finding no sign of dark magic. _'Come to me, Sheila...'_ She stared at the unturned key in the ignition. _'Come to me...' _The steering wheel was silently mocking her. She sighed and slowly put her hands on it. She closed her eyes, her body trembling.

'_What's happening to me?'_ She steadied her arms and finally let them fall to her sides, her shoulders slumping, defeated, forehead resting on the steering wheel. She sighed, convincing herself to sit up and looked into the rearview mirror. The wind around her was calm, the sky lightening, sunlight breaking through. She ruffled her strands of hair back into place and wiped her nose delicately.

She gasped, startled, as her father's hand shot out and gripped her forearm. She tried to wrench her arm free, but he only absorbed her struggles by squeezing harder. She let out a groan. "Dad... you're hurting me..."

He laughed, a mocking tone, his eyes flashing to black. "He is mine now." It was a voice she didn't recognize. A voice that scared, yet intrigued her. It sent a quiver through her already shaking body.

She looked at him in horror. "Who are you?" She managed to ask, her voice cracking on the inquiry.

Her father smirked, his smile spreading passed its normal limits, causing his lips to crack. Blood trickled out of his split lip, dripping onto the white, leather seat underneath. His grip on her arm tightened further as his other hand reached out to brush the hair from her face. "So beautiful..." Drops of blood flew from his lips and left flecks on her cheek. She automatically flinched away and when she did, his hand tightened around her throat, constricting her air flow. "You will be mine..."

Her eyes flashed black to match his. "I don't know who you are, Creature, but I will never be yours."

He smiled. "Whether you want it or not, Lady, you belong to me..." He said this in an almost growl, his eyes growing darker (if that were even possible) and pressed his bloody lips to hers.

She let out a muffled sound of disgust and twisted her arm, successfully freeing it, and pulled back, staring him defiantly in the eyes. "I belong to no one..." The blast of magic hit him before he could stop it and he fell back with a grunt, releasing the grip on her throat. She coughed, scrambling to get away, falling on her butt as she opened the car door, never taking her eyes off the Creature.

She watched as the invading magic within him escaped, his body writhing and screaming as it captured his Soul, taking it with its departure. His skin flushed to a dull bluish-grey, eyes fading to a milky white. Sheila let out a sob and wiped her shaking arm across her lips as she stood.

She didn't hear the vehicle until it was right behind her, the tires squealing and burning as it zigzagged across the road to avoid her. She jumped back, her arms catching the side of her car. The SUV went into the ditch, the trees on the other side of the road trapping it, the gnarled, metallic body of the SUV hugging the trees like a lost lover.

She cried out, a soft "Oh" that no one on the deserted road heard. She crossed to the other side in trepidation, afraid of what she might find. As she neared, she saw smoke curling in tendrils from the engine, the horn letting out an unwavering whine. She gasped, a body was trapped against the steering wheel. She half ran, half stumbled towards the driver. A crimson river ran along the side of the man's face and she didn't have to check his pulse to know that he was dead.

She swallowed hard, the nausea fighting for release in her throat. She circled around the back of the SUV and found a woman sprawled across the backseat. Her neck was broken. _'Fuck.'_ She walked to the front, broken headlights crunching underneath her flip flops, and stepped over a tire that had popped off.

The front of the SUV was molded around the tree. She couldn't tell where one ended and one began. She did, however, discover a huge hole in the front windshield. Her eyebrows furrowed. It was as if something, or rather someone, had gone through the window. Sheila looked around helplessly and let out a sob. She didn't see a body in the immediate proximity. _'Maybe they survived and they went to get help...'_ She hoped, as she scanned the surrounding trees.

Her attention was brought to a remote section of forest some 5 or 6 feet away. Something was moving and Sheila soon realized that her feet were treading towards it, a sense of foreboding tucking at her stomach. She discovered a body, no, a boy, laying there, covered in cuts and blood, windshield glass scattered in his hair. He was young, Sheila saw as she knelt beside him. She rested a tentative hand on his shoulder and felt his muscles tense beneath his shirt as he rolled onto his back.

"Are you all right?" He coughed, his eyes closed and she moved her hand to touch his cheek. Her touch was gentle, his face looking as if it were bludgeoned a hundred times over by a blunt object. Her fingertips fluttered across his skin so she didn't cause him further pain.

The spark was instantaneous and Sheila, for a moment, thought she had imagined it, but as the heat from her fingertips that lay on his cheek forced its way into her hand and up her arm, she knew she hadn't. She watched in disbelief as the heat traveled up her arm and into her chest. She took a deep breath as it coursed through her body, to her toes and up her calves.

For some reason, she sighed and closed her eyes. It felt... nice... Even though nothing was really touching her, the mere thought that this stranger could really touch her that way excited her. She squeezed her eyes tighter in an attempt to rid herself of such a selfish, blush-worthy image. She could feel the heat slowly rising up, up, up her thighs where it settled in between her legs.

Sheila gasped and opened her now flashing eyes. He let out a grunt of pain and she quickly jerked her hand away, bringing it to her forehead. She gave her head a light shake. _'What the hell was that?'_

She scanned his body with her eyes for magic. _'That's what it certainly felt like to me...' _She sensed none and her eyes unknowingly strayed their way to his crotch. She saw his pants in that area were tightened from his hard on and she blushed, turning away. _'So she wasn't the only one that felt it...'_ She brought her eyes to his pale face. _'He's very handsome... no doubt about that...' _She thought, despite the fact that his head was swollen in the most unnatural areas and was covered in purple and red splotches where the blood rose to the surface.

She heard the low rumble of thunder in the sky above her head. She turned her head upward, looking into the vastness of sky, and saw nothing but dull gray glowering back at her. It was starting to drizzle now, some of the cold precipitation sprinkling across her arms. It was the beeping that finally turned her attention back towards him.

It was his watch and for some odd reason this boy had set it to go off at this exact time. The lightning sliced the sky, aggressively forcing itself into the opening where the boy lay. The light was blinding and Sheila let out a cry of pain, shielding her eyes with her hand. She told herself to open her eyes and let out a sharp exhalation when she saw the boy floating in the air above her. He was writhing and screaming as the lightning violated his body. _'This is unnatural... I shouldn't be seeing this...'_

Sheila's hair stood on end, the static of magic in the air all around her. She didn't stick around the see what happened to the stranger and quickly climbed the embankment, clawing her way onto the road. She fell upon the rough gravel, rocks digging into her skin, and rolled onto her back. She fought hard to hold back the tears, but failed and she wiped at her face frantically, dirt and blood, someone else's blood, smeared across her cheeks and shaking hands. She turned her head to the right with a groan and saw a blue bumper and two tires rapidly approaching her.

Sheila screamed.

**A/N: **She just needs to stay of the road, doesn't she?! Please review!


	2. The Flying Horseman

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own them, damn it! Except for Sheila, she is mine!

**CHAPTER 2:**

**The Flying Horsemen**

"Maybe it was Reid. Tyler did say that he got in late last night." Pogue said into his cell phone, trying to reassure his best friend.

"But why Reid? He knows better than that..." Caleb threw the newspaper onto his passenger seat, the face of the dead kid staring back at him with a smile. "Where you at anyway?"

"I'm in town." Pogue ran a hand through his chestnut hair. "Had to check on my bike, remember?"

Caleb smiled. "That's right, I forgot, man. Big competition this weekend."

Pogue picked up a hint of sadness in Caleb's voice and furrowed his eyebrows in concern. "You okay?" He heard Caleb sigh on the other end and knew he was debating his answer. The silence stretched beyond seconds and finally Pogue let slip the thought that was going through his mind. "You had that dream again, didn't you?" He heard Caleb sigh again and took that as a 'yes'. "Caleb, you shouldn't stress over it. You know it's not real."

"But it feels real, Pogue." Caleb ran a hand through his fluffy, dark brown hair. "It feels so real. The touches, the noises, her scent... And then the end, the end is always the same. The lovemaking varies in style, but that damn ending... where I look older and feel as if my Soul is being sucked out of my body..."

Pogue chuckled. "Are you sure it's your Soul getting sucked?"

Caleb felt a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "That's not funny."

"I'm just joking, man. Cay, it's nothing, I'm sure."

"Yeah, you're probably right." He groaned, his body aching from lack of sleep. "Listen, I'm gonna let you go. I have to drop something off at Gor- Oh my God!" Caleb dropped the cell phone and gripped the steering wheel, hard, with both his hands, his right foot slamming on the brake pedal with such force that he lurched forward, his chin smacking the top of the steering wheel.

Blood flowed freely from his now busted lip and he swung the wheel hard to its left, trying the avoid the figure in the middle of the road. He breathed a sigh of relief as he narrowly missed it, watching it fade smaller and smaller in his rearview mirror. He saw it move. _'At lease it was still alive...' _He thought as he watched the figure stand, clutching her arm to her body. He turned his eyes back onto the road and his heart nearly stopped, his teeth gritting as he fought for control of the vehicle, the massive, honking 18-wheeler looming closer and closer towards him.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sheila screamed and threw her arms protectively over her face, her body curling into a fetal position. Tires screeched past her as she felt the whoosh of the displacement of air near her head, the vehicle narrowly swerving around her body. The force was immense and she felt the ground beneath her shudder. Her arm fell from her face in the aftermath and she let out a cry of shock as a back tire bounced over it, fracturing the bone beneath.

The pain was immense and everything flared white hot for a moment. Sheila slipped in and out of consciousness, her breathing shallow, as she tried to push the broken appendage to the back of her mind. The woods and road around her spun and she vaguely remembered getting up, sitting back on her haunches as she stared in the direction of the vehicle that nearly killed her.

It was blurry, but she could tell that it was still jerking back and forth, trying to gain control. The brakes were squealing she knew as she watched the skid marks appear, dark and heavy, on the road, but the sound was muffled, like somebody stuffed cotton in her ears. She shook her head, her raven hair falling into her eyes. _'Focus, Sheila, focus...'_

She drew in a deep, ragged breath, her eyes blinking rapidly, and her surroundings slowly stopped spinning and became clear. The blue vehicle was some 15 feet away, its tires fighting hard against the speed, the smell of burning rubber tickling her nose. She coughed, covering her mouth with her unbroken arm, the other one she cradled close to her abdomen.

Sheila carefully got to her feet, her scraped, gravel-encrusted knees throwing off her balance. She continued to watch the vehicle weave a frightening pattern across the road and she prayed to God the driver gained control.

That's when she saw it. The 18-wheeler crashing down on the car. With no intention of stopping, the truck driver honked his horn and Sheila heard the truck's gears lock up as he slammed on his brakes. She watched the scene silently, her mouth open in fear and anticipation. _'Oh no! This is all my fault!'_

She cried out in indignation as the car hit the 18-wheeler head on, the crunching and bending of metal ringing in her ears. The blast came as a shock and as she flew through the air, she started to pray again, and yes, her life did flash before her eyes.Her father's smile was the image that stuck and it was her final thought as she crashed into the thick mid-section of a tall pine. She recalled hearing the wood splinter and crack (or was that her ribs, she couldn't remember) as she crumpled to the forest floor.

She groaned, then proceeded to pass out.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Caleb's eyes flashed quickly to black as the Power encompassed him. He hit the 18-wheeler full force, feeling the heat of both engines as his blue Mustang flew into pieces around him.

He let out a whoosh of air as the car came together again and landed hard on the pavement, his body rocking against the seatbelt. The car finally came to a stop, the Mustang's engine rumbling idly as Caleb sat, his breathing hard and unsteady.

"Caleb! Caleb! Are you there? What's going on? Caleb!" The voice was muffled and Caleb looked under his seat for his cell phone. He raised it slowly to his ear.

"Yeah?"

"What the fuck just happened? Are you okay?" Pogue screamed into the phone. Caleb held it an inch away from his ear, wincing.

His voice was hoarse. "I'm fine." He said, closing his eyes. "I'm going to be fine..."

"Tell me what happened...!"

Caleb swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. "There was someone, a girl, in the road... I had to swerve to miss her..." He was scared, shaking, and he fought back the tears. "18-wheeler..." He croaked out. "Look, just give me a minute to calm down and I'll see you at my house in about an hour, okay?"

Pogue hesitated, but could find no words to comfort him. "Okay." He sighed. "And Caleb?" Caleb lifted his eyebrows, as if Pogue were standing in front of him talking, and not miles away on a phone. "Be careful, please..."

Caleb hung up.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Black. That's all she saw. She was engulfed by it. Drowning in it.

Red. Someone turned on a light. Her fingers twitched. She could hear voices.

"_...father died... no Will... nothing for her..."_

"_... adopt her..."_

"_... going to do..."_

"_...not much we can... wait... wakes up..."_

The voices were fading away. _"Come back!"_ Her mind screamed. _"Please don't leave me!" _Someone turned off the light and she was surrounded by black again.

**A/N:** REVIEW PLEASE!!! Special thanks to Babaksmiles and SnowyOwl-17 for doing just that. Continue to read, you guys!


	3. 2:08 AM

**A/N: **No, Caleb did not turn around to help her... He had too much going on (ex: the dead student, the phone call with Pogue, the dream, the 18-wheeler) to actually realize that he had run her over. He saw her get up, so he figured she was ok... Any questions?

**CHAPTER 3:**

**2:08 A.M.**

(This chapter takes place the Tuesday night (or Wednesday morning, however you want to look at it) before school starts on Monday... It's the last week of summer...)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Sheila lifted her head a little, her lips resting on his. She lightly gave each part of his mouth a peck. Left, right, middle. Left, right, middle, before he started responding to her. Her soft tongue flicked out, licking the bottom of his mouth. He sighed, opening his mouth as well, his tongue venturing out and meeting hers._

_She rolled over to where she was now on top of him, her petite body straddling his hips. Sheila pulled away from him. He let out a tiny whimper, yearning for the touch of her lips on his._

"_Sshh..." She placed a finger to his lips and he lightly kissed it. She smiled. He reached for the bottom of her Henley and gently pulled it over her head, throwing it to the side as soon as he got it off._

_Shifting his position, he sat up a little more, his lips making contact with hers again. He quietly brushed away a few tendrils of hair from her neck, his hands cradling her round face. He pulled back, grinning, and eyes locked with hers, lowered his head slowly to kiss the top of each bare breast. She relaxed beneath his touch and leaned back, his arm muscles tensing to hold her up. He shifted, following her body with his in one solid movement, folding his legs beneath himself and lowered her the rest of the way onto the bed._

_Sheila placed her hands on his head, her hands ruffling through his soft hair. She gasped, his warm mouth taking a dark pink nipple into it. He sucked thoughtfully, his tongue playing lazy circles around it until her breathing turned to deep pants. He smiled up at her, releasing the nipple as he removed her pajama bottoms, bit by bit, shifting his body to kiss each part of newly exposed leg skin. He finally got them off and threw them next to her shirt._

_Without hesitation, she reached for the waist band of his boxers and slid her hands inside, tenderly grasping his hard length, slowly moving her hand up and down. Up and down. His eyes flashed to black, an animalistic sound escaping his throat, and she retracted her hand, almost scared. He removed his boxers in a flurry of movement, slipping a finger beneath the elastic of her pink underwear and into her very hot, very wet sheath._

_He took her lips prisoner once more as he stroked her. Teased her, her moans muffled by his tongue. Her eyes flashed to match the color of his and he didn't wait to ask. He brutally tore her panties off, leaving bruises on her hips, and entered her swiftly. He closed his eyes, growling, her hands going to his back, grasping, scratching._

_He moved his hips slowly, beautifully, and she lifted hers to meet his each time. She could feel the heat bubbling just below her abs._

_Magic was surrounding them... She could feel the static warmth of it from his body as it casually trickled into hers. He was Claiming her, she could smell his scent, musk and spice, as it enveloped her._

_His head fell heavily onto her shoulder. He kissed her collarbone, then the place where the neck meets the shoulder. Another growl escaped his throat and with his teeth bared, he bit into her delicate skin, blood trickling onto the pillow beneath. _

_She cried out. Tried to fight him off, but he latched on, harder, bruising her shoulder, all the while pounding his hips against hers, the waves of pleasure mingling with the pain._

_Sheila braced her palms against his shoulders and shoved, hard. He jerked back, hissing, and slapped her, her head snapping back, from the hit and from her climax. She closed her eyes and opened them quickly to find, not her young, handsome lover, but a decrepit, gray-skinned man on top of her. She froze, pinned down by his eyes and his body. She couldn't move..._

_His fingers snaked their way up her neck where his hand made a fist around her throat. She whimpered. He leaned down, tongue flicking out to lick the tears from her cheek. _

"_Mine..." He whispered into her raven hair. "My Lady..." He looked down at her, into her, and she stared courageously back. He grinned and abruptly exploded into a million spiders._

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sheila's eyes fluttered open, her heart jumping. _'Not again...' _She sat up quickly in bed, groaning, holding her head in her hands. She pulled them away and saw blood glistening on her fingertips. She choked back a sob and turned, finding a blob shaped stain of blood on her pillow. It looked fresh, still wet... _'The dream.' _She touched her shoulder.

Blood there too... She pulled her nightshirt down, revealing her shoulder. She shuddered as the icy cold of the room licked her body. She sighed, running the pads of her fingers up and down the exposed skin.

No wound... No blood...

She looked at the clock on her bedside table. 2:06 blinked red back at her. She blew out a breath, rubbing her arms with her hands in an attempt to warm herself up, her right hand unknowingly trailing up and down the scar on her left forearm. She looked at it, the moonlight glinting off the mark.

She smiled, despite the situation, remembering how she got it. That day... That day her father died and she had found that boy in the woods... That boy...

She glanced at her clock again. 2:08. She sighed. _'Now what?...'_

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Little did Sheila know that at that exact moment, several miles away, a boy of seventeen awoke abruptly in his bed, sweat covering his body. It slid down his chiseled chest and he ran a shaking hand through it, trying to get his breathing under control. He picked up his cell phone, the blue neon light reflecting off his glistening face and checked the time.

2:08.

He shook his head, throwing the phone onto the bed beside him, and looked around the room. He licked his dry lips, his eyes black, searching for the Creature. It always came after the dreams and he knew this time would be no exception.

He found it crouched in a corner by his dresser and flashed his eyes at it. It stood, unafraid, staring back at him. It looked like it was laughing, its mouth pulled tight around its jawbone. It raised a hand to point at him, then touched the corner of its mouth before exploding into dust.

Caleb blinked, raising his pointer finger to the corner of his mouth. He pulled back, revealing it to the shadows of his dark room, a drop of crimson glinting back at him. He clenched his jaw, suddenly realizing that it was throbbing. Like it was sore. _'Or...'_ He didn't want to even think it.

It _was_ sore... Like he had bitten hard into something... or someone...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gorman Twoberry scooted a thick, yellow envelope across the table. The young boy picked it up, opened it, and pulled out a photograph.

The boy held up the picture. "This?"

"Yes."

The boy examined the photograph, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Not bad..."

"Would you like a name to go with the face?"

He shook his head. "No, I like the element of surprise. It's very... dangerous..."

Gorman smirked. "Very well." He proceeded to tell the boy the details of the contract and the circumstances in which he was to perform his duties in. The more and more he spoke, the wider the boy's eyes got.

"So, what exactly am I supposed to do?"

Gorman steepled his fingers, leaning back in the leather, desk chair. "It's called Claiming and you must do it before the Ascension. Otherwise, all this planning would've been for nothing."

The boy nodded. "Do any of the other Sons know about this?"

Gorman shook his head. "No, but they are very intelligent... I fear they may figure it out before the Ascension day comes..."

The boy's eyes flashed. _'We'll see about that...' _"Well, don't we need their signatures too, I mean in order for the contract to actually be established?"

The older man smirked. "There are other ways to obtain a person's signature without their knowledge, young one." He slid a heavy piece of parchment in front of the boy, producing a pen from his jacket pocket, and handed it to him.

'_Deception... I love it...' _The boy thought, smirking, as he signed the paper. The paper glowed red and for a moment, the boy felt faint, a bit of his magic being sucked out and given to the parchment.

"See, easy, wasn't it?" Gorman pushed back his chair and stood. "Now, I do have other business to attend to so if you'll excuse me..."

"Just a question." Gorman stopped, eyebrows lifted. "This Claiming thing. How do I go about doing that?"

Another smirk. "You've had the dreams. Do that..." He paused. "Only without the biting..."

**A/N: **Interesting... Is Caleb the one in the dream...? Is he the one that receives the envelope? We shall see... Review please!!!


	4. A Visual Orgasm

**A/N: **Ha! I am sooo bad...!

**CHAPTER 4:**

**A Visual Orgasm**

(The following morning: Wednesday)

It is said that the Sons of Ipswich fell in love with her that day, especially the one she came to know as Caleb. They were standing outside the main dorm entrance, directing the new students, laughing and talking about the upcoming swim meet when they heard her car. The growl of the periwinkle blue beast drowned out the echoing _dong!_ of the chapel bell, three buildings away. It cruised slowly into the parking lot, recent rain water slicking of its smooth body, the tires coming to stop at the front of the dorm. It sat idling for a moment, the driver unseen behind the foggy windows. Then finally the low purr died at the turn of a key.

"Well, boys, what do we have here?" Reid said, breaking the silence the '67 Mustang left in its death. "Looks like some all American muscle, eh, Pogue?" He took a final drag off his cigarette and flicked it easily over Tyler's shoulder into the grass.

"Your telling me." Pogue licked his lips, stepping off the stoop onto the sidewalk. "I wonder what's under the hood…"

Reid brushed eagerly passed him, throwing a wicked grin over his shoulder at the group. "Let's find out, shall we?" His stride faltered when the door opened and a pair of Converse sneakers were thrown unceremoniously upon the wet pavement. Everyone, especially the males, watched intently. Wondering. Curious. Waiting. They could here the driver speaking, grumbling to his or herself.

"… impossible to drive in high heels… stupid stick shift…" It (?) said.

Following the Converses, a pair of long, tan high heeled legs stepped out, followed by a slim waist, graceful shoulders, and the soft curves of the driver's breasts, all covered by a pink sweater set. All who watched fell silent, holding a bated breath.

"Whoa…" The rest of the group crowded against Reid's back, eager for a closer look. He turned to them with a mischievous grin. "Now that, ladies, is what I like to call a visual orgasm..." The others snickered.

The Sons will never again feel what they did the first moment they saw her. Maybe it was the way her raven hair swayed in the wind, her skin glowing, almost like an ethereal being, in the sun's dying light. Or how her eyes curiously gazed chocolate brown at her surroundings as if she were already looking for an escape. Whatever it was, it didn't matter, she was different and Spenser could use a change from prissy, Louis wearing rich blondes.

No one spoke or stirred, the female's eyes still hungry. She smiled at a few of the boys, her blush shy, yet determined. Her stance was nonchalant, almost as if she were posing for an unseen photographer.

'_She has a great body.'_ Caleb secretly noted and as if by some unhumorous act of God she turned her attention to him, her hard eyes softening into a timid smile. Caleb lost his breath for a moment. _'Oh my God... It's her...' _He realized that Tyler was speaking to him.

"Cay, she's looking at you, man." Caleb nodded, numb. "At least wave or something…" He tried, he really did, but her eyes (not brown, but dark blue, he corrected, and deep… like the ocean…) were drawing him in, drowning him and he would gladly die just to keep looking into them. It was as if she were looking not at him, but into him and he was looking right back into her. At her soul.

She finally broke contact and leaned down, popping the button for her trunk, all the while surveying the other 3. She liked what she saw. Their skin carried a faint glow, unlike the other boys standing around, like they had swallowed the sun. She smirked. They were obviously Spenser's favorite eye candy and they were _very _sweet to look upon. As she parked, she saw the flock of girls surrounding them, eyeballing. She wasn't surprised.

Reid looked at the rest of the group and, shrugging, closed the distance between himself and the Mustang, Tyler following closely behind. She could hear their approach and smiled to herself. Caleb hung back, catching Pogue by his shoulder. "Wait a minute, man."

Pogue looked at his best friend and smiled. "When have you ever been afraid to talk to a beautiful girl?"

Caleb shook his head. "It's not that." He dropped his eyes to the ground, his feet shifting uncomfortably.

"What is it then?"

"That's her…" His gaze shifted back to Pogue's face. "The one from the dream… The one I've been having all summer..."

Pogue flicked his hazel eyes from the mysterious girl to Caleb. Back and forth. Back and forth. "That's her?" Caleb nodded. "You sure?" Another nod, causing Pogue to crack a grin. "Lucky bastard…."

"Excuse me?"

Pogue slapped him on the shoulder. "Oh come on, even if it was just a dream, anyone would be lucky to make love to a girl that looks like that."

Caleb quirked an eyebrow. "Yeah but even if, how would I know what she looked like when she just got here today?"

Pogue shrugged. "Freaky coincidence?"

Caleb shook his head. "You know there's no such thing as coincidences in our world… Did you forget about Camp Iwanahee?..." He sighed. "There's something else." Pogue looked at him intently. "That darkling appeared to me again, right after the dream."

"The dead student?" Caleb nodded. "I don't know what to tell you, man. I guess just let it play out and see where it goes." Caleb looked at him, skeptical. "It's probably just Reid again… You know he's jealous because your Ascending first."

That's what Pogue always said, but this time Caleb didn't want to "just let it go". "I don't think so, Pogue. Last night, I said something to her."

"What? Round 2?" Caleb cast his dark eyes on him and Pogue quickly shut his mouth. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"

Caleb shook his head. "Something about a Lady..." He sighed, running a hand roughly through his chocolate hair. "I'm really not sure, I didn't catch all of it..." He lied, averting his gaze. He just didn't want to have to tell Pogue about biting her and the blood he found when he woke up... Or how the Darkling knew about it...

Pogue looked at him for a moment, resting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm going to ask you a question, but I don't want you to get the wrong idea." Caleb nodded. "Do you have sex with her in every dream?" Another nod and Pogue licked his lips, his fingertips tapping thoughtfully on his chin. "Do you think-" He stopped, tried again. "Do you think it's possible that she is an Incubus?"

Caleb blinked. He never thought of that. "I don't know." He paused. "It is possible, but an Incubus here, without us sensing it... Now _that's_ not possible."

Pogue sighed. "I really don't know what to tell ya, man." He smiled. Caleb knew it was a genuine answer. "Listen, if it makes you feel any better, we can check the Book later, ok? Or maybe try asking Gorman about it." Caleb nodded, smiling at his friend, and joined the others near the front of the Mustang.

She walked to the rear of the vehicle without so much as a blink in their direction and started unloading her things. The Sons glanced at each other and, shrugging, helped her, the car's shocks bouncing and groaning when each box or suitcase was removed. Finishing, she closed the trunk, turning to them, her hair flipping over her shoulder, face flushed, smile radiant.

Caleb watched her lips. They were plump, moistened pink with lip gloss. They looked… _inviting._ He shoved his hands nervously in his jean pockets. _'What the hell's wrong with me...?' _He ran a hand roughly through his hair. _'You're not an animal, Danvers. Get a grip…' _He paused, realizing that he wasn't the only one being awkward. He watched as Tyler and Reid shifted uncomfortably on their feet, faces flushed. Pogue's gaze was anywhere but on this girl, his hands shoved roughly into his trouser pockets. _'What's going on...?'_

"Thank you." Her voice had a kind of lilt to it, like the faint note of a song and Caleb nearly came at the sound of her polite words. All he could was stare at her silently, afraid of what he might say, his dirty thoughts overpowering his speech ability.

Pogue stirred. "You're welcome." He said, throwing a glance at Caleb. "You'll have to excuse him. As swim team captain, he's not used to breathing outside the pool." Tyler and Reid snickered. She smiled again, bending down to pick up a small box and her purse. Caleb's eyes unknowingly flicked down her shirt, discovering the off-white bra underneath. He blushed, quickly looking away.

She locked eyes with Caleb, holding out her hand, balancing the box on her bumper. He hesitated, fearing that if he touched her, he would throw her on the ground and ravish her, right here, in front of everyone. _'What?...'_ He shook his head and took her hand gently in his. It was soft and slender, just like the rest of her. "Caleb Danvers." He eyeballed her. _'…lips, beautiful, love, sex…_' "Hello." _'…kiss, lips, kiss, kiss…'_

She gave his hand a squeeze. "It's nice to meet you, Caleb." _'…sex, moan, deep ocean, eyes, lips, kiss, lips…' _"I'm lips kiss."

**A/N: **Ha! Thought this was a great place to stop, although I could've kept going! Please review!


	5. The Flamboyant Cowboy

**A/N: **Enjoy and review, please!!!

**CHAPTER 5:**

**The Flamboyant Cowboy**

She had a Gift, at least, that's what her father always told her. It was more or less a curse. A glitch in the genetic make-up that was her family history.

It was a different experience each time she touched someone new. Sometimes she heard their thoughts right away or merely caught fragments of them. Other times, she only felt their emotions. Those were the people she stayed away from. They always had something to hide…

The pain that came with the Gift was something she could never master. Sometimes it came quickly, at others, especially with the females, it was slower. Sometimes it didn't come at all. At least with her Power, she could numb it a little.

"Gift" is definitely not the word she would use to describe her ability…

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I'm lips kiss."

Caleb's brows knitted together. "I'm sorry. What?"

She let out a nervous laugh and tucked a tendril of hair behind her delicate ear. It was such a feminine move, but Caleb couldn't stop the hard-on that came as a result. "I meant to say Lipschitz." She retracted her hand from his, much to his disappointment. "That is I'm Sheila Lipschitz." She waved her hands dismissively. "I mean Higgins. I'm Sheila Higgins." Her eyes dropped to the box on her hip and the blush that kissed her face spread to the rest of her body. Caleb watched it with hungry eyes.

"Well which one is it, cutie?" Reid said, making Caleb inwardly growl. "Lipschitz or Higgins?"

She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Higgins."

Reid stepped forward, eyeballing her, like a starving cat would a fat, juicy mouse. He licked his lips. "Reid Garwin." He reached for her hand and pressed his grinning lips against her knuckles. _'So damn beautiful...' _His eyes landed on her lips._ 'I wonder what she tastes like...' _Sheila's breath faltered, heat spreading from their contact into her arm. He met her gaze. "Hello..."

Tyler rolled his eyes and stepped between them, their contact breaking. "Don't mind him. His ego is as big as his mouth."

Reid gave him a playful shove. "I thought you liked my mouth, Baby Boy. I know your mom certainly does..."

Tyler threw a pointed look in Reid's direction, then turned back to her, shaking his head. "I'm Tyler." He stretched his hand towards her and she hesitantly accepted. "Tyler Sims." More heat, from his body to hers. Tyler smiled. _'I hope my breath doesn't smell bad...' _Sheila fought back a giggle and pulled her hand from his, flustered.

She turned to Pogue with a casual shrug, amusement twinkling in her almond-shaped eyes. "Last, but certainly not least..." She held out her hand. "Pogue Parry, I assume..." For a brief moment, Pogue did nothing but stare at her, a pensive look on his face. He was _almost_ afraid to touch her and his eyes flicked unknowingly to Caleb, who was standing just behind her, watching with his arms crossed over his chest, eyebrows raised at his friend, questioning.

Sheila's smile faltered and her hand slowly retreated back to her side.

Pogue shook himself out of his thoughts. "I'm sorry but, how do you know my name?"

"Well, it doesn't hurt that I'm Kate's new roommate..." She blushed, shifting the small box she was holding to her other hip. "I also saw it in the paper once. Over the summer. You won some kind of competition..."

Pogue beamed, surprised that she would remember _his _name of all names. "Yeah, a riding competition with motorcycles..."

She nodded. "I love bikes..." She rubbed her hand across her car's navy blue trunk affectionately. "Almost as much as I love my 'stang..."

Caleb coughed. "You ride?"

She turned to him with a mischievous smirk. "I may be in heels and a skirt now, Mr. Danvers-" Her voice grew husky, elegant. "-but I know how to ride..." Her eyes flashed and she flipped her hair over one shoulder. "Make no mistake about that..." The others snickered and Reid waggled his eyebrows at Caleb behind her back, moving his body as if he were riding a horse, his arm in the air, twirling an invisible lasso.

Pogue poked him in the chest to stop him and cleared his throat. Reid and Tyler turned their attention to him, but Sheila remained still, brown eyes fixated on the ground. "So, Sheila, you're a Higgins, huh?"

"It's an adopted name..." She looked up, catching Caleb's eyes. "From the Provost... I'm sure you've all heard the story by now…"

Caleb smiled. "Well, yeah, but in a place like this it's hard to filter rumors from truth." Sheila returned his smile.

The first wave hit her before she could stop it, causing the box she was holding to slip from her hip as her knees buckled. Sheila groaned and Caleb caught the box, staggering. "Are you okay?"

Sheila touched her fingertips to her flushed cheek, her knees grinding into the pavement. "Yeah… yes, I'm fine…" She managed a smile, nodding. "I'm just over exerted, I'm sure. I should probably get all this stuff inside and rest for a while. I had a long drive."

He nodded, catching her petite hand as he pulled her into a standing position, concern darkening his golden eyes. "We'll help you." It was not a question.

She looked at his hand against her flesh. None of his thoughts reached her. She quirked an eyebrow. _'Interesting…'_ And she suddenly realized that the pain had subsided. _'Very interesting…'_ She thought.

"Of course…" She said, breathless, and with that, she took the box from his hands and walked towards the dorms, her skirt flirting along her thighs in the wind. Caleb watched her retreating form, her black, waterfall hair swishing in time with her narrow hips. She carried herself almost like a kitten would. Slow, vulnerable, and irresistibly _inviting_...

She threw a glance over her shoulder, smiling, and Caleb blinked. "You coming?" She asked, pushing through the double doors.

'_Almost...'_ Caleb thought, looking after her. _'What are you getting yourself into, Danvers?'_ He sighed and followed her path, glancing back at the boys. Reid was grinning like a madman as he did his little cowboy dance again, blowing kisses at a blushing Caleb. Caleb laughed, throwing him the bird and mouthed a polite "Fuck you."

Reid wagged a finger at him. "You know I only put out if you buy me dinner first, Danvers." Shaking his head, Caleb entered the dorm building, still laughing.

Pogue, Tyler, and Reid looked at each other for a beat, then burst into a fit of giggles.. "She's got him…" Reid said, chuckling.

"Oh yeah." Pogue adjusted the waist band of his jeans. Kate would kill him if she saw that… He glanced around the parking lot. Half of Spenser's male population stood gaping at the wooden doors Sheila just walked through. _'Caleb's obviously not the only one she's got under her spell…' _

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chase Collins slid the manila envelope off of his dash and pulled out the photograph. He sighed. It was the same person alright, just like Gorman said it would be. Chase didn't ask questions. That old man gave him the creeps…

He watched them enter the dorm from the driver's seat of his white SUV. The Sons were very intrigued, as well as the rest of the males here. Her profound effect on them was obvious, he thought, sneering, as he adjusted his hard-on. She sent out a light shock wave each time she passed a guy and they immediately blushed, shoving their hands in their pockets, looking away.

"It's as if she's in heat…" Chase laughed in spite of himself, tucking the photo back into the envelope. _'All I have to do is enhance her sexual experience...'_ He exited the vehicle, slinging a duffel bag onto his shoulder as he followed the Sons inside. _'This should be easy…' _He laughed again because for once, Fate had given him something on a silver platter...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

'_Use it to your advantage.' _That's what her father always told her._ 'The day will come when one day you're going to need it to save your very life…' She sighed. _She still didn't understand what he meant by that_. 'Use the Gift to get what you want. Use it in seduction... No one will be able to say no…'_

'_Yeah, I guess the being part succubus doesn't hurt either, huh?'_

_Her dad glared at her. 'This isn't a joke, Sheila. You're a Lady, don't you understand that? In order for our family to survive, you have to do this.'_

'_No, I don't understand that! And I don't care!' She grew angered. 'Why should I anyway? I didn't ask for this. I don't need or want this Power. This is all your fault, you know that?' She balled her hands into fists. 'Why did you have to make mom leave? Maybe then you could've used her to bear you a proper heir!' _

_He strode quickly towards her and she took an awkward step back. The force of his hit sent her to the floor. She looked him defiantly in the eyes from her position on the floor and saw that they carried no regret. She spat out blood on his leather work shoes. 'I hate you…'_

'_One day you will thank me.'_

'_Never.' She touched a delicate hand to her stinging cheek and winced. 'You don't deserve praise for your actions...'_

'_They are not my own. James-'_

'_James? Who's James?' Sheila scoffed. 'He doesn't care if your bloodline is lost. He probably doesn't even know you exist.' She stood, shaking, unable to look at her father. 'I should Will my Power away just to spite you…'_

'_If you do that, you'll die…'_

'_I know, but when I die, at least I'll have the satisfaction of taking your filthy blood with me…' _

_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Kate helped Sheila unpack while the Sons settled into their own dorms (Caleb being the exception, who stayed at home with his mother). The effort of rearranging and making the dorm room feel homelike could make anybody hungry and hungry was exactly what Sheila and Kate were at this point.

"Being a private school and all, the cafeteria gets good funding, so the food is pretty decent." Kate pulled a hoodie over her head. "We can get a bite to eat there if you'd like." She said, through the fabric, grunting as she pulled the rest of her head through the article of clothing.

Sheila slid on a pair of jeans, nodding. "That's sounds great…" She adjusted her sweater and pulled her hair into a messy bun, tendrils falling in odd places about her face. "Any chance Caleb might be there…?"

Kate grinned. "Why?"

A shrug. "Just a question…"

"Well if I know anything about Pogue," She paused, contemplative. "which is just about everything, I know he's always hungry… and where Pogue is, Caleb is, and where Caleb is, the rest of the Sons are."

"The Sons?"

"Yeah. The Sons of Ipswich." Kate ran a quick brush through her hair. "It is said that Tyler, Reid, Pogue, and Caleb are actual descendants of the people that founded Ipswich." Sheila let out a silent 'Oh'. "It is also said that those founders had powers…"

"What kind of powers?"

Kate shrugged. "I don't know. The usual witchcraft kind of powers, I suppose. With cauldrons and sacrificing bats and all that. I asked Pogue about it once, but he said it was all nonsense…"

Sheila smiled at her._ 'I bet he did...' _"How do you know all this stuff?"

"Honey, I know everything about everyone." She grabbed Sheila's hand and led her out the door. "Why do you think my hair is so big?" Sheila looked at her and shook her head. "It's because it's so full of secrets…"

Sheila couldn't help but laugh.

**A/N: **Not so much mystery this time... At least you found out who got the envelope from Gorman... Now the question is WHY? Now let me make one thing perfectly clear, Sheila can only hear people's thoughts when she comes in direct contact with them (skin on skin) and if you noticed, she NEVER touched Pogue... There's a reason for that... smirk

Oh and I know it seems as if all the boys are in love with her, but that's because right now, Sheila hasn't been officially Claimed by any of the Sons, so technically she's still open game. So they're all going to be infatuated with her until she is Marked.

REVIEW PLEASE!!!


	6. Saggy Tits

**A/N: **I hope that by the end of this chapter you don't think Sheila's a complete bitch! She's a strong girl, what can I say?! P.S. I nipped a little bit of a conversation from the movie... but only slightly... Because I don't own it! And I know my chapter titles are a bit crazy, but I love them!

**CHAPTER 6:**

**Saggy Tits**

(That night)

Entering the cafeteria, Caleb could already sense her presence before he even looked for her.

'_Not that I was planning on looking for her… I was just going to see…' _He told himself.

He found her sitting at a corner table, cross legged, with Kate, laughing and making huge gestures with her arms, like she were telling a story. It caused a giggle to burst from Kate who dropped her ketchup stained French fry back onto her tray. Pogue, who had his arms wrapped around her waist as she sat in his lap, snatched the fry from the plate and popped it into his mouth, ketchup staining the corner of his lips. Kate leaned down and licked it off.

"Gross!" Sheila said, laughing, and took a sip of her soda.

Caleb approached the table, Sheila's back to him, and raised a finger to his lips when Pogue saw him. The hairs on Sheila's neck prickled and she turned her head slightly in Caleb's direction just as he leaned over her chair, his cheek brushing lightly against hers. He snatched a potato chip from her plate and casually slid into the seat next to her. "You should see them when their drunk."

Surprised, Sheila jumped slightly, choking on her soda. She blushed, wiping the dribble from her chin. "Hey." She smiled. "How's the face?"

He turned his cheek towards her. "Merely a scratch."

She gave him a small smile. "I want to thank you again for helping me." She paused. "And I am sorry that I hit you in the face with my bra..." She attempted to keep a straight face but failed, Pogue and Kate joining in on her laughter. Caleb stuck his tongue out at her. She shrugged. "What?! I told you not to open that box and then next thing I knew Reid is waving one of my bras in the air." She sipped her soda. "I had to save it from his perverted, little clutches and it hitting you in the face is further proof that you should've listened to me." She gave him a sidelong glance and started laughing again.

Pogue took a bite out of his hamburger, chewing thoughtfully. "See, that's why I encourage women not to wear bras."

"Ugh." Sheila said, still laughing. "Yeah, Pogue, I'm sure those old ladies look _really _hot with their breasts down to their stomachs. You hear that, Kate, no more bras! Ever!"

Kate giggled, her eyes lighting up. "Bra burning!" She pointed at Sheila. "We should do a bra burning!"

Pogue sat back in his chair, blushing. "Ok, ha ha, guys, that's not what I meant..."

Caleb smirked. "Sure it wasn't, Pogue." He lifted an invisible glass. "Ladies, let us toast to saggy tits."

Sheila and Kate raised their styrofoam cups in the air. "To saggy tits!" They said, giggling, in unison.

Pogue was now looking around the cafeteria, trying to complete ignore them, his face a deep shade of red. "Very funny..." He grumbled, sitting up a little as he spotted Reid and Tyler who had just entered the cafeteria, hair wet and jostling each other playfully. He patted Kate's hips. "Babe, get up for a sec. I'm gonna go get TweedleDee and TweedleDumb."

She nodded, sliding off his lap in a graceful movement. "Oh honey, don't be a sore sport just because we finally have one on you." Pogue shrugged, his stony expression breaking when Caleb shimmied at him.

"Oh you like that, don't you?" Caleb licked his finger and used it to circle an area on his shirt where his nipple would be. "You naughty boy..." He blew Pogue a kiss.

Pogue, laughed, shaking his head. "That's messed up, Cay..." That got him another round of laughter from the table. He ran a hand through his chestnut hair as he slowly approached Tyler and Reid, resting a hand on their shoulders. "What's up, fellas?" Reid and Tyler looked at each other, grinning like a pair of Cheshire cats sharing some private, inside joke. Pogue shrugged. "What?"

Tyler shook his head. "Nothing, man, just snuck some practice in at the pool. What's going on with you?"

"The usual. Caleb's here." He pointed at the table in the corner. "Kate and Sheila, too."

Reid smiled, throwing a plate of fried chicken and mashed potatoes onto his tray. "Alright, we'll join you in a minute."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Who is that?" Aaron craned his neck around his latest conquest, Keira, for a better look. "Nice..."

Keira turned, looking in the same direction. "Oh..." She rolled her eyes. "That's Sheila. The one the Provost supposedly adopted."

"What do you mean 'supposedly'?"

Keira shrugged away from him, his heavy arm falling from her shoulders. "I say that because she just "supposedly"appeared out of nowhere over the summer and somehow ended up at the Provost's house." She sighed, giving her perfectly manicured nails a nonchalant once over. "Nobody knows where she's from. Where her parents are. Her real last name..."

Aaron nodded, shoving his hands in his jacket pockets. "Let's go and find out then, shall we?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Oh look boys, here comes your favorite douche bag..." Kate said, a look of utter disgust on her face. She put on a fake grin. "And look, he brought his little slut puppy with him... How cute..." Everyone turned, inwardly groaning when they saw Aaron and Keira approaching their table.

As always, they looked like they were on a mission.

"Hey Caleb. How was your summer?"

Caleb clenched his hands into fists underneath the table and put on a small smile, looking at her. "Keira." He acknowledged. "It was great, thanks."

Aaron completely ignored the table and, instead, focused his gaze on Sheila. "And who is this?"

Sheila looked at him from under her lashes, trying to suppress a grin. _'What a dork!'_ She held out her hand. "Sheila." He accepted. "Hi." She didn't hear a single one of his thoughts. She quirked a perfectly arched eyebrow. _'Hmmm...' _

Keira watched the exchange, growing furious. "Okay!" She slapped Aaron's hand away from Sheila's. "That's enough, Aaron." She straightened her Argyle sweater with a huff. The Sons and Kate looked at her, snickering. She looked at Sheila. "I'm Keira." Sheila held out her hand and Keira stepped back with an audible 'Ew'.

The table sat in silence for a beat, before Caleb spoke. "What do you want, Aaron?"

Aaron shrugged, still looking at Sheila. "Just wanted to meet the new girl."

Caleb stood. "Well you did-" He waved Aaron off. "-so be on your merry way now."

Aaron held up his hands, defensive. "Whoa, man, what's with the hostility?" He smiled at Sheila and, eyes flashing, she smiled back, taking a long, slow sip of her soda. Aaron watched her lips, mesmerized. "You don't have any claim over her..."

'_Nobody does...' _Sheila thought, her anger slowly rising.

"Is this seat taken?" Keira asked to no one in particular, but before Kate could kick the chair out from under her, Keira flopped into it, a superior look on her face. She held up her hand, right in Kate's face, to stop her protests. "So anyway-" She said, clearly annoyed. "-how does someone like you go about getting into Spenser Academy?"

Sheila looked at Kate over Keira's shoulder, her look saying 'Is this bitch serious?'. Kate shrugged. Sheila glanced at Keira. "Why? I'm sure you've already made up an assortment of lies as to where I came from..."

Keira tapped her nails leisurely on the tabletop. "The truth never can hurt." She flipped her curly hair over her shoulder. "Well, I mean, you're not rich..." She continued, giving Sheila's wardrobe a once over. "Obviously...So how did you get in? Scholarship? Private funding? Or did you just get out of prison or something? Because you do kind of look like a lowlife, especially hanging around this kind of crowd..." The table's attention was now tuned into their exchange. Eyes staring in disbelief, waiting for something to happen.

Sheila gave her a crocodile grin (a nice, big, _dangerous_, toothy one). "No, my father died. Just my luck, I guess, but thank you ever so much for bringing that up..." She slowly rolled up the sleeves to her pink sweater, her body temperature rising with her anger. The scar on her left forearm twisted as she moved.

Keira jumped back, disgusted. "Gross!" She pointed a finger at it and everyone looked. "What is that?"

Sheila didn't have to follow her gaze to know what Keira was talking about and her face flushed, annoyed. She held out her arm and waved it threateningly in front of Keira's face. "It's called a scar. Wanna touch it?"

Keira held up her hands, trying to ward Sheila off. "Ew! Get it away from me!" The group snickered and Sheila pulled her arm back, laughing. Keira fixed her ruffled hair, embarrassed. She got up, placing her chair between them, trying to put as much distance between herself and the dreaded scar. Sheila blinked, stretching, unimpressed by the girl's snarky attitude.

"You know my dad's a plastic surgeon. He could fix that for you, if you'd like." Keira paused, sneering. "He's not into doing a lot of charity work, but in extreme cases such as yours, I'm sure he can make an exception..."

Sheila let out a short, biting laugh, feeling her Power brimming just below the surface of her skin. The color of her eyes did not betray her, however, as she took a deep, controlled breath. _'She's brave, this one...'_

Caleb spoke up. "I don't know, Keira. I think her body looks pretty good."

Keira rolled her eyes. "You can't be serious?"

He shrugged. "Why not? She looks almost like you-" _'Yeah, sure.' _"-only I believe there's a bit more bitch written on your face."

Keira scoffed. "Whatever..."

Sheila listened intently to their exchange, but kept her gaze on Keira as she slowly, almost seductively, uncrossed her legs and unbuttoned her sweater. The boys paid rapt attention as she slid it from her shoulders, the shirt underneath clinging suggestively to the curves of her breasts. The peach colored tops of them peeked above the camisole and Caleb swallowed, averting his gaze. Sheila licked a fingertip and dragged it across her collarbone, her hand descending to her torso, then her thighs, her nails raking her jeans before her elbow came to rest casually on her knee. She leaned forward, her hair falling in her eyes passionately, the movement exposing more of her cleavage.

Sheila wet her lips. "Does this look like an extreme case to you?"

Keira took a few more steps back, stumbling on another chair that Kate 'accidentally' placed behind her. Sheila stood, following her, her movements slow, enticing.

"Well...?" She inquired.

She stepped carefully onto the chair that previously occupied Keira and looked down, towering over her. She fingered the edge of her shirt, biting her bottom lip as she slowly rolled it up her stomach, stopping the ascent just below her breasts. She moved her hands back down to the top of her jeans and teasingly unzipped them.

The whole cafeteria was watching now.

Sheila folded the top of her jeans down, exposing the baby blue cotton of her panties, (which got a loud 'Whoot' from Reid) and spanned a hand slowly across her flat stomach. "How about now, Keira?"

Everyone looked at Keira, waiting for an answer. Her mouth opened and closed slowly, unable to think. "Freak!" She sputtered. "My father should definitely take a look at you! Maybe he can perform a lobotomy!" She laughed at her own joke. Everyone else just stared.

Sheila stepped down from the plastic cafeteria chair and stepped right up to Keira, her face mere inches away. She could feel the other girl's heavy breathing against her neck. "Tell me, Keira, has your dad ever done any procedures on you?"

Keira stepped back. "No!" She placed a hand to her chest, offended. "He doesn't need to."

Sheila cocked her head to the side, eyes flashing. "You mean you've never even considered getting a nose job? I heard everyone does that at least once..."

Keira looked at her, horrified. "I don't have a reason to!"

Sheila looked down, then suddenly cocked her right arm back and punched Keira in the face. The crack of her nose was loud in the silent dining hall and Sheila could almost hear the collective gasp of everyone in it.

Keira stumbled back, surprised, unable to move.

"Look at that." Sheila snatched her sweater from the table, hastily putting it back on. "I just gave you one." She said as she zipped up her jeans. She made a beeline for an exit, any exit, the people in the cafeteria watching her, incredulous.

Caleb caught Sheila's elbow and she pulled it away with a firm shake of her head.

"Don't, Caleb." She ran a hand through her long hair, looking back at Keira, who was screaming and waving her hands in the air, blood pumping over her mouth from her broken nose. "I'll be fine." She sighed. "Just make sure the Princess is okay." Caleb looked at her, his eyes protesting. "For me? Please..." He finally nodded in defeat.

She smiled and grabbed his hand, leaning towards him, her hair tickling his nose. _'...beautiful, pink sweater, soft hair, lips, kiss, lips...'_ He closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of her hair. It smelled like peaches and Caleb fought the urge to run his hands through it. Her lips fluttered across his cheek, a motion that he barely felt, but made his body stiffen (in more ways than one...) nervously.

Sheila pulled away and gave his hand a light squeeze. _'... peaches, taste, lips, sex, kiss...' _"Thank you." She rolled her eyes, smiling. "Again..." She released his hand, turning and walked towards the nearest exit.

The whole student body stared as the cafeteria door clanged shut behind her, then they immediately exploded into fervent whispers.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chase followed her body with his eyes, the whole episode causing him to crack a devilish grin. _'I like her already...'_ He stood, pushing his tray of food to the middle of the table, not even bothering to throw it away, and pulled a cigarette from his jacket pocket.

He lit it, taking a puff as he strode with blithe unconcern towards the same exit that Sheila went through.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sheila sat just outside the doors, breathing hard, angry tears sliding down the gentle slopes of her cheeks. She rested her head on her knees, her back grinding into the brick wall behind her. Her right hand was throbbing, the tips of her knuckles split open. She watched a drop of blood form, then fall to the tiled floor.

More tears fell and she wrapped her arms protectively around herself to stop the shaking. She was upset and, honestly, surprised at Keira and herself. She had never let her Power control her actions before. She mentally slapped herself for the near exposure.

She wiped her face roughly with the sleeves of her sweater and let out a chuckle. "I can't believe I just did that..."

"Everyone lets go once in a while." Sheila jumped, the stranger's voice deep and echoing in the empty hallway. She saw him smile. "I mean you can't bake cookies all day and not sample the raw dough, right?"

**A/N: **Who is it? Oh, come on! This one's easy! I hope the ending didn't suck as much I thought it did... I don't know what's up with the cookie line so don't ask...! Review please!


	7. The Orphaned Merman

**A/N: **Okay, show of hands from those of you who thinks it's Chase!... Well, it is... grin Fluff ahead!!! Don't hate me...!

**CHAPTER 7:**

**The Orphaned Merman**

Chase took a long drag from his cigarette, his face half hidden in curling smoke as he looked at her. "I have to say, I admire what you did back there." He blew out, causing her to squint. "Not everyone has the balls to stick up for themselves." He swiped the red tip of the cigarette against the brick wall, killing it. "You should be proud." He grinned.

Sheila smiled up at him because in her own secret way, she was proud. She felt her anger slowly being ebbed away by the stranger's charming smile and went to get up. Her movement faltered when her punching hand came in contact with the tiled floor.

He saw her struggles and moved to help her. He offered her his hand. "Here." She obliged and he pulled her swiftly to her feet with little effort.

She straightened her clothes. "Thanks." She muttered, looking at his face full on for the first time. Green eyes greeted hers, twinkling, and she quickly averted her gaze to assess the rest of his face. Curly brunette hair, amazing eyes, strong jaw line, and those lips... She inwardly grinned. _'Cute...' _He was a good 7 inches taller than she was and as he took a step toward her, she involuntarily took one back.

Another step forward, another step back. Another and another. They did for about 4 or 5 steps before he stopped altogether, sighing.

He pulled something small from his jacket pocket. "Look, I just came out here to smoke, okay?" He shook the cigarette pack. "No harm."

"You can't smoke in the hallway..."

He shrugged. "What can I say?" He took another step towards her. "I'm a rebel..." She threw up her hands, almost threateningly, as she took another step back. He laughed. "Don't be afraid. I'm harmless, I promise." She just stared at him, hands still raised. He pocketed his cigs. "Look, I've seen what happens to be on the receiving end of that-" He points at her right fist. "-and quite honestly,-" He chuckled. "-I'm a little scared of you right now..."

Sheila smirked at his playful chiding, relaxing a bit, her eyes flashing for a second. "You should be..." She raised her right fist and shook it at him, then winced. "Ow!" She brought the fist to her stomach, her other arm automatically covering it.

Chase stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, looking at her from under his lashes. Silent permission. She held out her hand to him, grimacing. He sandwiched it gently between both of his and examined it, clucking his tongue every so often. He looked at her, but did not release her hand.

Lightning sliced the sky behind her and it lit his eyes for a moment. _'...even more gorgeous in person...this might not be as easy as I previously thought...' _She retracted her hand, hastily, her eyebrows furrowing, and this time when his eyes flashed, there was no lightning.

He knew what she had heard. Chase smiled, nonetheless. "You should put that on ice. It'll help the swelling."

Sheila seemed to have recovered from hearing his thoughts because she firmly shook her head and pointed at the metal cafeteria door, laughing. "I'm not going back in there..."

"You don't have to..." He grabbed her uninjured hand tightly. His voice dropped down to a whisper as he held a finger to his full lips. "Come with me..." He gave her hand a small tug as he started down the empty hallway, his footsteps echoing all around her.

She glanced back at the cafeteria doors, biting her bottom lip. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she knew something was off (good or bad) about this guy. She felt her feet obliviously following the stranger. Sheila looked at the back of his head, then at their joined hands. Her steps did not falter as she felt that spark again.

Subconsciously, she knew she wanted this because it was the same spark she had felt in the forest that day... With that boy...

Sheila bit her lip again, _almost _ashamed.

Ashamed because she wanted to _explore_ that feeling...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He had taken them to his dorm room. She was not surprised, nor was she afraid...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sheila entered the dimly lit room, eyes darting back and forth, taking in her new surroundings. Two twin beds occupied most of the space, matching bedside tables sitting in front of a large window. A closet to the left, the bathroom to the right. Computer desks and built-in bookshelves stood on either side of the door. Nothing different from her and Kate's room.

Except it smelled of man in here. Old Spice and leftover pizza still sitting in its cardboard box prison, waiting to be devoured the next day for breakfast, cold or not. There were piles of clothes on the floor, school notebooks strewn unconcerned on the desks. Someone's computer was on, the screen saver was a topless Hula dancing girl that blew kisses at them every few seconds.

Sheila smiled. _'Boys...'_

"Sorry about the mess." Chase was taking off his jacket and she could see the muscles underneath his T-shirt straining. He threw it unceremoniously onto the back of a computer chair. "My roommate's kind of a slob." She nodded. He gestured toward the bed in front of him. "Feel free to make yourself comfortable." He bent down to open a black, mini fridge that she hadn't noticed before. He pulled out a Ziploc bag that contained a blue square. "This should only take a sec."

She nodded, unbuttoning her sweater and placed it over his jacket. Sheila leaned over the chair, her pants sliding a little on her hips, her shirt exposing the natural dimples in the small of her back. Chase gawked, doing nothing to hide his admiration of her body. She was a beautiful girl, no doubt about that.

Sheila stood, hands on her hips, raptly scanning the photographs that were tacked haphazardly to the back board of his desk. She reached out and tapped one. "Your parents?" She didn't turn for his answer.

"Yeah." She heard the crinkle of the Ziploc bag as he opened it. "My sixteenth birthday."

She looked closer at the picture. It was of him, beaming, an older man to his right, a lady to his left, and a brand new, white SUV (complete with oversized, red ribbon) shining behind him. She let out a 'Hmph.' and he turned inquiring eyes on her. "All I got was a beat-up '67 Mustang..."

He chuckled. "Yeah?" She looked at him, nodding. "I'll trade you. I've always wanted a muscle car."

She gave him a coy smile. "Maybe I can take you riding sometime..."

He grinned, nodding. "Sure. Consider it repayment for my hospitality."

"I didn't ask you to bring me here and take care of me..." She said, frowning.

He shrugged, palms up, the clear baggy hanging between his forefinger and thumb. "And I didn't ask you to punch that girl-" Lightning flashed. "-and yet here we are..."

A corner of her mouth twitched and she turned back to his desk with a shake of her head. "I'll still take you riding, if you'd like..."

A beat of silence passed. "They felt the SUV would be safer than just a car..." He said, picking up the conversation again.

She glanced at the picture again. "That was very thoughtful of them..."

"Yeah." He sighed, shaking the blue packet from the Ziploc. "They were wonderful people..."

She squinted at the picture. "Were?"

He paused in his actions. "I lost them to a car accident over the summer..." His eyes flashed black and Sheila flinched, her body going rigid.

It felt as if someone just burst a water balloon over her head. An invisible trickle was slowly making its way from the top of her head down, reaching into her skull. She felt a light pressure on her head and she brought her shaking fingertips to her temple, massaging. Chase's eyes flashed again. She gasped, segments of a scene flashing in her mind.

It was her, on a road, crying, shaking, scared.

Another flash.

A white SUV swerving around her, hitting a tree.

Another flash.

Dead faces, a man and a woman, looking back at her.

Sheila squeezed her eyes shut, blowing out an unsteady breath of air. Chase's eyes switched back to normal and he put on a concerned face. "You okay over there?"

She opened her eyes, the pressure on her head floating away, anxiety no longer gripped her chest. "Yeah, just tired, that's all..." She wiped sweat from her brow._'What was that...?' _

"All right, I'm almost done."

She nodded, but didn't turn to face him. Instead she focused her attention on the bookshelf beside her head. _'Good... a distraction...' _Her fingers traced the spines of several books. She paused, tilting her head to read a particular title, and pulled it off the shelf, laughing.

It was 'A Brave New World'. Her favorite...

"This is an early edition." She turned the book over carefully in her hands and ran a palm across the letters of the title. "This is very rare..."

Chase looked up, seeing the book in her hand. "A Brave New World. My favorite." He smiled. "I nicked it from my dad's collection..."

She hesitated, tapping the spine of the book thoughtfully on her palm. "I understand your pain..." She averted her eyes, not meeting his quizzical look. "I mean about your parents... And I'm not just saying that because I feel sorry for you..." She bit her bottom lip and Chase swore under his breath. He had never seen a more erotic sight before in his life. "I lost my father over the summer, too..."

"What about your mom?"

"What about her?" Sheila spat, the question coming out more angry than she expected. She shrugged. "I really don't know." Her features softened and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Chase bristled, resisting the sudden urge to reach out and run his hands through her soft hair. He wrapped a fist around the ice pack instead, his fingernails digging crescent shapes into his palm. "She left when I was thirteen..."

"We're just a couple of little orphan Annies, huh?"

Without her noticing, he had moved across the room to stand beside her. She jumped at the sound of his voice, laughing nervously to hide her embarrassment. "I guess..." She slid the book back into its place on the shelf. She winced, her hand stinging as her knuckles brushed a neighboring hardback.

He brought the blue package forward. "Here." He gently reached for her injured hand, stretching her curling fingers out. "This should help with the swelling." She looked at their joined hands, her eyes growing wide with surprise. _'There's that spark again...'_ She thought as she felt the heat rising slowly, torturous, up her arm. She didn't flinch or try to pull her hand away from their warm contact.

"What is that?" She asked, pointing at the blue square in his hands.

"Sports ice pack." She let out an 'Oh'. "I'm a swimmer, so I use them all the time for my shoulders."

She quirked an eyebrow, smiling. _'A swimmer... That explains the body...' _Chase heard her thought and he accidentally squeezed her hand... hard. She jerked it from his grasp with a low hiss.

"I thought you were trying to help the swelling!"

"I'm sorry." His voice was sincere. He reached for her again and she did not stop him. "Momentary spasm..." He mentally slapped himself for losing concentration. She winced again when he placed the ice pack on her knuckles. He grabbed her other hand and put in on top of the pack. "Hold it right here, okay?"

Sheila nodded. Thunder rumbled in the distance and she turned her face towards the window, watching as rain started falling. She looked down at their still clasped hands, shifting the pack. The heat of the spark coursed through her body. Her mind was whirring and for a moment, she felt as if she were having an outer body experience.

A very _titillating_ outer body experience... Lightning sliced the sky and in that split second, she decided to go with that feeling...

"So, where's your roommate...?" She paused to look up at him, startled to find him staring intently at her.

She licked her lips and this time Chase didn't restrain himself, the spark weaving its magic throughout his veins as well. He smirked. _'It would be rude of me to try and resist...' _He reached out, fingers fluttering over her blushing cheek, snaking around to the back of her neck. She moved into his touch with a sigh, her tongue flicking out again. He inwardly groaned, running his thumb across her bottom lip. He swallowed.

"Out..." A simple answer and she nodded, her eyes closing as he ran his hands through her hair. He made a fist on the back of her head and she tilted it back, exposing more of her long neck. This time, he licked his lips and traced a beating vein with his finger. Sheila gasped. Down, down his finger went, where it came to rest between her heaving breasts. Her breath came in short spurts and her eyelids fluttered open to look at him, rain pounding the dorm room's window pane.

An ominous sign of a coming storm...

Her eyes flashed briefly. Her voice came out in a throaty whisper. "Will he be gone a while...?"

**A/N: **sigh What can I say? I am so bad... Review please!


	8. Little Peach

**A/N: **Okay, now a show of hands of the people who absolutely hate me right now...! Don't worry, guys, this is Caleb/OC, remember:p

**_illusion-_**_ (noun) **1)** a false or unreal perception or belief. **2) **a deceptive appearance or impression._

**CHAPTER 8:**

**Little Peach**

"Will he be gone a while...?"

Chase answered her question with a devious smile and leaned down, pressing his lips to the spot where his finger stilled between her breasts. Sheila gasped, feeling his tongue flicking out, the cool air chilling the path of saliva he made upwards, retracing the path his finger made seconds before.

He ran his hands through her hair, the scent of her shampoo attaching to his fingers. _'...Peaches... yum...' _His hands were on their second run when he felt it. A light shock wave. His cock jumped instantly at the magic. Chase moaned between nibbles against her neck. _'I could get used to those things...' _

Gorman had told him about them. Well not so much _told_... more like _warned..._ Chase didn't care. He had a contract to fulfill. If this chick was turned on enough to be sending out shock waves just for him, even though she wasn't his Lady and it wasn't a full moon either, who was he to stop her...

His lips had reached her jaw. She grinned with breathless anticipation, his mouth making a deliberately slow journey towards hers. She groaned with frustration and wrapped her tiny arms around his waist, bringing him closer. His erection rubbed against the coarse fabric of his jeans and his eyes fluttered shut with a tiny moan.

Another shock wave, this one more forceful than the last. _'Patience, little peach...' _His silky, pink tongue snaked tentatively out and ran the length of her full bottom lip. He could taste the remnants of her lip gloss on his tongue. He swallowed. She took in a sharp breath, her eyes widening in surprise. She brought a hand to her lip, touching it. They stared at each other for a moment, before she blinked, the room filling with the tinkle of her laughter.

He brushed hair from her cheek, laughing with her, his strong hands rubbing their way down the curves of her sides, where they came to rest on her butt. He gave it a light squeeze and she stepped closer to him, his hardness brushing against her stomach. She didn't seem to notice, her hands finding his shoulders for support.

His hands moved lower, and bending down slightly, he pulled, lifting her petite form up to his. Her legs wrapped expertly around his waist, her thighs gripping. She locked her ankles behind his back, the movement solidified. He quirked an eyebrow.

Chase brought his mouth to her ear, his hot breath stroking her neck. "Do not be afraid..." He whispered, as he half-walked, half-wobbled to the bed, his lips making contact with hers.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He sat quietly at the table, listening as his three friends childishly jostled each other, Caleb throwing comments in every so often. Kate had gone to her room moments after Sheila left, to shower and see if her friend was okay.

He was out of it, he knew, but he couldn't shake the thought of Sheila from his mind. He had known her for barely a day and Caleb already deciphered that she held so many secrets and faults on the inside.

And he was determined to figure them out...

Pogue watched his best friend for a minute, Caleb's vacant eyes lost in space, before waving a hand frantically in his face.

Caleb blinked. "What?"

Pogue grinned. "Thinking hard?" Caleb shook his head. Pogue's mouth stretched wider. "Cay, you are so stuck on her, man..."

Caleb shrugged him off. "I am not stuck on Sheila..."

"I didn't even say her name. How did you know who I was talking about?"

Caleb looked at him, a witty comeback trying to form on his tongue. He resorted to shaking his head instead.

Pogue shrugged. "What? I'm your best friend." He tapped a finger smartly on his temple. "I know these things..." Pogue gently pushed Caleb's shoulder. "So, c'mon, admit it. You may not know her THAT well, but you know she's not like the other girls you've dated." He paused. "Or even like the other girls around here... Sheila's different and you're intrigued by it."

"Whatever..."

"Whatever back, Caleb. The sarcastic, yet sweet attitude she throws around has got your interest peaked, so get your balls out of your ass and confirm that I'm right." Caleb let a small smile tug at the corner of his mouth, but quickly covered it. "Aha, I saw that little smile!" Pogue exclaimed, poking him playfully in the chest. "You like her, don't you? You like the way her hair blows in the wind... The way her eyes twinkle in the light... The way her ass moves up an down when she walks in those heels..." His voice trailed off.

"So... You've been checking her out as well, huh?" Caleb scooted back his plastic cafeteria chair and stood, gathering his trash onto his tray, laughing. "I'm telling Kate..." He turned, walking towards a trash can.

"Hey! Hey Caleb, that's not fair!" Pogue said, running after the older male.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

His lips were silken fire as they made contact with hers, his tongue teasing her mouth open. She sighed, tilting her head back, her hands on his chest, twisting his shirt with her fists as her tongue danced easily with his. He lowered her the rest of the way onto the bed, her hair fanning out around her like a halo.

He broke the kiss, placing his hands on either side of her head to hold himself up. She whimpered, her lips growing cold with the loss of contact. The sound sent a jolt of arousal through his body. He looked down at her, her dark blue eyes wide, questioning. He smiled, placing a finger to her lips.

"Shhh, little peach..." She didn't question her new nickname and he brought a hand to her flushed cheek, his fingers fluttering across it, almost lovingly. "I'm going to take care of you..." He kissed her forehead, then, with slight hesitation, began to move his hips listlessly against hers. The combination of his erection and the hard fabric of her jeans rubbing against her clit sent her mind whirring. She bit her bottom lip, closing her eyes.

He could feel the heat of her arousal against his cock. _'It's going to burn a hole in her jeans...' _He snickered, continuing his erotic assault on her privates with his. Her face flushed and he watched in startled fascination as the heat rose from her whole body like a phantom. It swirled, whisper soft, around his head. He breathed in. It smelled like peaches and he moaned, realizing that it wasn't her shampoo that smelled like that, but her natural scent.

The scent of her arousal...

Chase smiled. _'I bet you taste good, little peach...'_

The third shock wave nearly caused his arms to buckle and his torso to topple onto hers, but he didn't stop, sweat collecting on his brow with determination.

Another wave.

Her hips bucked beneath his and he let out a throaty growl. He closed his eyes, hips rolling like waves obliviously against hers. Her smile of satisfaction was quickly devoured by his lips. His kisses this time were vigorous, _hungry_ and she eagerly opened her mouth, complying, wanting to taste him. Her hands ran through his hair, gripping the back of his head, pulling him closer.

Another wave.

He clenched his hands into fists, the blanket beneath wrinkling in his grasp. He paused his hips and lifted his head. She cupped his cheek with her hand, concerned. "You okay?" She licked her now swollen lips. She felt his whole body shaking and tried to sit up, unwrapping her legs from his waist as she did so. He placed a hand gently on her shoulder and pushed her back onto the bed.

"Just give me a second..." His voice was hoarse, eyes still clamped shut. They were black, he knew, and his body trembled harder as he fought for control. _'Little peach, now I know why Gordon warned me about those damn waves... You could render a man useless and not even know it...' _He inwardly smiled, swallowing, his eyes finally returning to their normal color. He felt a slight shift on the bed, a chilly, static wind kissing his body a moment later.

He opened his eyes, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion, eyes flashing, angry.

Sheila was gone.

**A/N: **I could've made this chapter longer, but I have to get ready for work... Review please!!!


	9. Shock Treatment

**A/N:** This is a baby chapter, but it shows the Sheila/Chase thing from Caleb's POV! Very short, but worth it! HA!

**CHAPTER 9:**

**Shock Treatment**

"Cay, you're not _really_ going to tell Kate, are you?"

Caleb just looked at Pogue, a deliciously, evil grin plastered on his face. "I don't know. I could and watch as you squirm under her wrath or I might store this juicy little tidbit in my memory bank and hold it over your head for all eternity..." He shrugged. "Decisions... decisions..."

He tipped his tray over the trash can, then watched it clatter noisily to the floor a moment later as the first shock wave hit him. He bent down, his knees wobbling, and picked it up, handing it to an impatiently waiting cafeteria worker.

"You all right, Butterfingers?" Pogue reached a hand out to Caleb's shoulder, the other boy brushing him off as he turned away from him.

Caleb placed a hand on a nearby wall to steady himself, taking a deep breath. His forehead knit in disarray, his sudden erection pressing against the fly of his jeans.

"Caleb?"

"Did you feel it?" He didn't turn to look at Pogue.

"Feel what?"

The second shock wave hit and Caleb's hands balled into fists. He heard Pogue's body stiffen with a gasp. "That." He said through clenched teeth, turning to meet his gaze.

Pogue looked back, eyes wider than they were a second ago. "What was that?" He didn't bother to try and hide his hard-on.

"Can you feel the magic behind it...?" Another shock wave hit them, both of them closing their eyes with a grunt. "Someone's using... Hard..." They both turned simultaneously towards the table Reid and Tyler were still occupying. The younger boys were staring right back, obviously having the same idea.

Caleb swallowed. "Shit..." He rubbed his forehead absently. "They felt it too..."

Reid and Tyler stood, uneasily, and slowly made their way towards them, the fourth shock wave causing their steps to falter.

Caleb closed his eyes against the onslaught, his mind tumbling, the flashes of images he saw only adding to his confusion.

He saw Sheila on her back, panting eagerly between kisses that were being delivered to her from an unknown male. A slice of jealousy ran through him, his fingernails digging painfully into his palms.

Two more waves hit, back to back, and they sent him unforgivingly to his knees. He squeezed his eyes harder, the images whirring behind his lids.

Caleb groaned, his breathing uneven, the mix of pain and unknown pleasure surging through him. He felt as if he were actually part of this image, his vision casting his surroundings to black, making Sheila the main focus.

All he could see was her face, flushed and smiling, the heat of her body pressing into him. The scent of peaches invaded his nostrils, the softness of her hair weaving through his fingers. Sheila smiled up at him, cupping his cheek with her tiny hand.

Caleb unconsciously lifted a hand to his face, a searing sensation flowering across his cheek.

She laughed, saying his name, and he clearly heard it, as if he were the one lying on top of her, making her moan.

It was as if he were really there...

She said his name again, the double syllable tripping sweetly off her tongue like honey. The boy in the image ran a hand over her face. One, two, three times and Caleb suppressed a gasp as he saw Sheila's eyes turn black, her face twisting from one of delight to that of horror and pain. She screamed, her eyes flashing, a mushroom cloud of magic expanding from her hands as she pushed the boy forcefully off of her.

"Caleb!"

Caleb's eyes snapped open to reveal the cafeteria's brown smudged ceiling glowering back at him. The view was immediately obscured by his friend's three heads, circling, peering down at him.

He grunted, sitting up, forcing Reid and Tyler a few steps back, and held his throbbing head in his hands, hiding his now ebony eyes from the group. His chest was searing, the magic Sheila used in the vision no doubt burning a wicked outline of her hands on it. He rubbed it methodically until the pain ebbed slowly away.

Pogue took a knee next to him, his hand reaching out to wipe sweat from Caleb's brow. Almost immediately, he pulled his hand back with a hiss, his eyes flashing, the static feel of magic lingering on his fingertips.

"Pogue?" Tyler stirred, leaning down, hands on his knees, looking back and forth between Caleb and Pogue. "What is it?"

Pogue stole a glance at Reid, who was standing fully erect, arms crossed over his chest, a somber look on his face, then looked back at Tyler. "His skin feels like it's on fire..." He wiped his hand on his jeans as if, in some way, it would rid him of the tingly feeling.

Tyler licked his lips, rising to stand next to Reid, shoving his hands in his jacket pockets. The way he always did when he was scared...

The Sons remained in silence until Caleb finally shifted his position on the floor. He lifted his head, his eyes the color of coal, and looked straight ahead, not wanting to meet the questioning gazes of his friends.

The three Sons passed silent concern amongst themselves.

"Did you see it?" He croaked out. His throat was dry and he rubbed it in a similar manner that a doctor would do to check your tonsils.

Pogue licked his lips. "See what?"

Caleb stood, shaking his head, his black eyes fading to their normal gold. He regarded each of the boys with a shadowy gaze. He cocked his head to the side, biting his bottom lip. "But you felt it?" Pogue nodded. "You all felt it?" More nods. He ran a shaking hand roughly through his downy hair. "I gotta go..." Pogue went to grab his arm, but Caleb brushed him off with a flash of his eyes. "I'll call you later."

Pogue threw his hands in the air, frustrated. "Where are you going?" Caleb didn't turn, instead sending a backward wave to his friend. "Caleb!? Where?!"

"You know where..." Caleb spit out, pushing his way angrily through the metal cafeteria doors.

Pogue huffed out a sigh and looked at Reid and Tyler.

Reid released the nail he was biting and raised his eyebrows at Pogue. "What's going on? What was that thing we just felt?"

"Yeah, and why does it make us..." Tyler paused, making a brief lewd gesture with his hands, then stopped, swallowing. "Well, I mean, why does it have that kind of affect on us...? All of us...?"

These were all questions none of them had the answers to, but it just made the situation easier if they spoke them out loud and pretended to try and figure things out. Not even the Book of Damnation could help them, Pogue was certain.

Pogue shook his head, shrugging, his shoulder length hair falling into his downcast eyes. "I don't know..."

"What do you think he saw?"

Pogue pushed back his hair with a sweep of his hand. "Whatever it was, it can't be good if it's got our always serious Caleb shaken up like that..."

**A/N: **See, short and sweet, but hopefully still good. Review please!!!


	10. Swollen Appendages

**A/N: **I know my chapters are looking to be a bit shorter each time, but the thing is, remember, that chapter 4 up until now has all happened in the same day. So each chapter and each section within that has been significant. Please bear with me...! It's really hard to write and update as frequently as I have with school AND work. Plus, most of this stuff I haven't even pre-written so I'm just kind of winging it! I hope it's turning out great. You guys are awesome and the positive feedback really does help, so thank you so much to all my reviewers!!!

**CHAPTER 10:**

**Swollen Appendages**

Chase ran a shaking hand over the bed as if Sheila had just made herself transparent and not completely disappear. _'What the fuck?'_

"You okay?"

He jumped at the voice, looking up to see Sheila lounging on the window seat, concern etched on her face. She went to stand, but he waved her off. She let out a huff of air and adjusted the ice pack on her hand. "You sure?"

'_It felt so real...' _He wiped his mouth, groaning. "Yeah... Why?"

"You never answered my question..."

That's when he heard the chuckle. At first, he thought it was her, but Sheila just looked at him, eyebrows knitted together, oblivious. Realization dawned on him and he narrowed his eyes. "Gorman..." He growled.

"Who?"

Chase stood, planting his hands on his hips, and shook his head, letting out a nervous laugh. "I'm sorry. I didn't hear your question."

"I asked you if your roommate would be gone a while."

'_Cheeky little bastard...' _He shrugged, scratching his belly. "I don't know. He's probably in the cafeteria. Why?"

"I just don't want to go back." She cleared her throat. "Not yet... I don't want to face Kate and the million questions right now..."

"You can hang here if you'd like..."

She smiled. "Just for a few more minutes, I promise."

He shook his head, bending down, and grabbed a pair of sweat pants. "Stay as long as you'd like." She nodded her thanks and they stared at each other for a moment, smiling, before she blinked, turning to look out the window. "Do you mind if I change?" She shook her head, his footsteps pounding as he strode swiftly to the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

Sheila looked at the door, then shrugged. "Wonder what his problem is..."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chase splashed cold water on his face, but the effort was futile, his face red as the anger made his temperature rise. The water journeyed down his bare chest, causing him to shiver.

He heard another chuckle, this one louder, deeper and he pulled his lips back in a sneer, a deep rumble of agitation forming in his chest. He leaned against the sink, gripping the sides so hard his knuckles turned white, and gazed into the mirror.

"Gorman...?" No reply, not even a chuckle. "Gorman." This time he said the name louder, more forceful. His eyes flashed to ebony. "Gorman, you son of a bitch, I know it's you. Show yourself."

He heard a sigh and took a step back as the man in question suddenly appeared in the bathroom mirror, a look of pure mischief on his face.

"Yes... What can I do for you?"

Chase let out a bark of a laugh. "I think you've done enough already, old man." He spat at the reflection.

Gorman's eyes widened in mock innocence. "Whatever do you mean...?"

"Eat me, Gorman. You know what I'm talking about. I know it was you." He ran a hand through his hair, clenching his fists at his sides. "How dare you use an Illusion on me!" He flashed his eyes at the mirror.

Gorman laughed, throwing a hand over his mouth. "Oh no, please don't." He said in a high pitched voice, his taunting laugh echoing in the small bathroom. "I was just having a little fun. Nothing like a good Illusion to jumpstart someone's libido."

"Yeah, _her _libido, not _mine, _asshole." He waved his hands over his still hard crotch. "And what am I supposed to do with his. It won't go away."

Gorman snickered, tapping the glass. "I think there's some lotion in here somewhere." He grinned. "Go on, put those swimmer's muscles to work."

"Fuck you."

"Fuck me?" Gorman's face suddenly turned serious, almost maddening. For a very brief moment, the image on the mirror shimmered to one of Sheila sitting on the window ledge in the next room before going back to Gorman. "Fuck her." He jabbed a finger at Chase, causing the younger boy to wince. "Claim _that_ bitch, then we'll talk." Gorman raised a fist and punched the air, the mirror on Chase's side spider webbing with cracks, but not breaking. "Don't disappoint me, young one..." His eyes flashed. "I'm watching you..."

Gorman's image faded away and Chase was left to look at a distorted reflection of himself, tiny rivers of blood running from his palms, his fingernails digging deeper into his skin.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sheila sat idly on the window ledge, cradling her somewhat reduced swollen hand in her lap. Her pronounced phantom was elongated in front of her, its unformed clones silently dancing around her still body as the lightning slashed the sky, thunder rumbling low in the distance. She sighed, watching the rain come down in sheets, the wind pounding it against this side of the building.

She had a perfect view of the courtyard and she watched, amused, as she saw people running across the grass towards the dorms, the rain attacking their bodies. She sat up a bit straighter as she caught sight of Caleb exiting the cafeteria. He was running, his jacket thrown over his head, his feet kicking up water as he splashed through the puddles.

He was heading towards the parking lot and she saw his Mustang lights flash as he unlocked the doors. She placed a hand flat against the window pane, her arm forming goose bumps from the cool glass. _'Caleb...'_ She closed her eyes on the thought, smiling.

The faint light from the street lamps filtered through the huge trees, catching the water droplets clinging desperately to the window pane. They looked like little star bursts on the clouded glass, growing heavier and sliding away from her palm as they fell and joined each other in heavy puddles at the bottom of the sill. _'Caleb...' _She opened her eyes, her breath shuddering to a halt.

He was looking dead at her, hands cupped around his forehead, like he was trying to make her out through the rain. She clutched her chest. _'There's no way he could've heard me...' _She peered down at him, her breath fogging the glass. She saw him shake his head before throwing open his driver's door and was swallowed up by the sports car. _'Right...?' _He turned the car on, the deep rumble of the engine audible to her even though she was three stories up.

She shook her head, her focus being brought back to her surroundings when she heard the soft click of the bathroom door opening. She didn't turn to look at Chase, but watched his reflection as it made it's way slowly around the bed and towards her. He stood a few feet behind her and she shivered inwardly, noticing that his blurry reflection was only wearing a pair of pants and nothing else. She swallowed, blushing, and brought a hand to her throat. _'Oh my...' _She let out a tiny cough.

"Thirsty?" He walked over to his mini fridge. "Would you like some water?" She nodded, still not turning to look at him. "Do you want crushed ice or whole?"

She shrugged. "What's the difference?"

"Soft or hard, I guess."

She followed Caleb's Mustang with her eyes as it exited the parking lot, tires screeching on the wet pavement. _'He's in a hurry.' _"It doesn't matter." She paused. "Just give it to me hard."

Chase's movements faltered at her comment, but he just shook his head, smiling. _'Soon, little peach.' _He poured the water into the glasses, the ice cracking at the drop in temperature. He walked over to her and held one out. "Here you go." She turned, setting the ice pack on the ledge, and accepted it with a small smile, bringing her pink lips to the brim and taking a long, slow drink.

She smacked her lips in satisfaction. "Thanks." He nodded, taking a swig from his glass. Some of it sloshed onto this chin. She watched, fascinated, as it descended to his chest, then his abs, before disappearing below the waistband of his pants. Her eyes widened. _'Whoa...' _She thought, having the sudden urge to lean forward and lick it from his chest. She shook her head, the blush on her cheeks spreading rapidly to the rest of her body.

Chase hid his grin as he finished up his water. He watched her with rapt interest as she watched the water slide down his tanned chest. He set the glass down on the bedside table behind her, his body rubbing against her slightly. He wiped the corner of his mouth with his thumb and looked at her.

"You okay?"

Sheila watched his thumb, licking her lips, then blinked, giving her head a slight shake. "Hmm? Yeah, I'm fine." She fanned herself nonchalantly with her free hand. "It's just getting a little hot in here..."

"Here..." He stepped forward, taking the glass from her hand and held it between both of his for a minute before setting it on the table next to his. He placed his now chilly hands on either side of her neck. She gasped, taking a step back. She stared up at him, her eyes as big as saucers. "Better?" He whispered. Sheila nodded, distracted by his heated touch, and closed her eyes.

She felt her head tilt back.

She placed her hands on his chest.

A feathery sensation tickled her lips as he lightly ran his mouth over hers.

Her eyes snapped open. She drew her hands back an inch, then forced them forward again, pushing him back with such tenacity that he stumbled.

She brought a hand to touch her lips, her eyes flashing. "What the hell do you think your doing?!"

Chase rubbed his chest, a hint of magic tingling just below the surface she had touched. He shook his head. "I don't know... I'm sorry..." He took a cautious step towards her and Sheila's eyes flashed dangerously when she noticed his erection.

"Oh my God!" She held up her hands. "Whoa, Casanova." She pointed at his crotch. "I am _not _that kind of girl!" Chase looked down, blushing, and turned away from her so he could adjust himself. She made a sound of disgust. "Listen, thanks for the water-" She snatched her sweater quickly from the back of the computer chair, walking over to the window ledge to pick up the small ice package. She held it up. "-and the ice, but I really think I should go_ now_."

Sheila had her hand on the doorknob when Chase came up behind her, touching her shoulder. She jumped, slapping his hand away. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? Stay, please..." Chase shrugged, no words forming on his tongue.

Sheila was floored by the sincerity in his voice. She clenched her jaw. "Thanks, but no thanks." She threw open the door and stepped out into the empty hallway.

He followed her, stopping in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. "I don't know why I did that. I'm really sorry. Just please don't go..."

She looked at him, her eyes traveling downward, stopping on the bulge in his pants. "I don't think so." She laughed, the sound eerie in the silent hall. She looked at the ice pack she still clutched in her shaking hand. "I think you need this more than I do..." She threw it at his bare chest, where it hit, then landed on the floor with a dull thud. She grinned, her eyes flashing. "It'll help with the swelling..."

Chase watched as she took off down the hall at a dead run, her light footsteps echoing in the corridor as her Converses slapped the newly waxed floor. He sighed, bending down to pick up the little blue square she had thrown at him. _'Fuck me...' _

He hooked his thumb into the waist band of his pants, pulling them out an inch or so, and winced as he dropped the ice pack disgracefully into them. _'What a waste...'_

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It wasn't until Sheila was safely in her room, leaning against the door, and clutching her heaving chest that she realized that she didn't even know the boy's name...

**A/N: **Finally, that's over with! So, see... be happy... Chase pushed Sheila away by making himself look like a total pervert so now her first impression of him has been tainted! Yay! Sheila now sees what a douche Chase is! HA!


	11. The Adorned Heiress

**A/N: **Sorry it took a little longer than usual for me to update. I really wanted to pre-write and figure out where I was going with this fic. I'm excited because I think I finally have all of my major plot down. It's a lot too! And I can't wait to write it! It's totally different than my original idea! YAY!!! I hope you guys enjoy!

**CHAPTER 11:**

**The Adorned Heiress**

The fading days of summer slowly gave way to the crisper ones of September as senior year rapidly made its approach, the school year starting on a Tuesday and not Monday which was Labor Day. Sunlight was getting shorter and in turn, parties at the Dells were getting longer, much to many parents' (and the police's) disappointments.

It was now mid-afternoon, the Sunday before school started, and Sheila could be seen running frantically towards the Provost's office.

She quickly glanced at her watch.

"Shit! I'm already late!" _'I feel like the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland.' _Chuckling to herself, she came to an abrupt halt at the end of the long administrator's hallway. She threw a quick "Hello" at the secretary carefully shuffling papers at the front desk and continued down the hall at her hasty speed.

Turning the corner, Sheila let out a tiny cry as she ran into someone who was exiting the Provost's office.

"Oomph." The person fell back, hitting the now closed door, the contents of the files he was holding spilling to the carpeted floor.

"Here, let me help you." Sheila crouched down next to the boy, shifting the papers into haphazard piles on the floor.

The boy picked them up, sighing, and stood, dusting off his dark, grey peacoat. He looked at her, a smile blooming across his somber features. "Hello again." He held out a hand.

Sheila took the boy's offered hand and allowed herself to be pulled into a standing position. She adjusted her Argylesweater, tucking a strand of hair that had come loose from her braid behind her ear. "Hello..."

A beat of silence. He cleared his throat. "How's the hand?"

She held it up and flexed it. "No longer swollen." She eyeballed him, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. "And yourself...?"

Chase's mouth twitched. "Let's just say the ice pack came in handy..."

She nodded, drumming her fingers on the side of her thigh. "I bet it did..."

He laughed then, the husky sound sending a rush of heat to Sheila's stomach. "You're very blunt, aren't you?"

She joined in his laughter. "Generally, yes, I am. But why hold things back? I feel there's no room for secrets amongst friends..." She paused. "Or potential friends..."

He shifted the files to his left hand and held out the other. "Chase Collins."

She shook his hand cautiously, a playful smirk forming on her face, before she squeezed his hand and flipped his wrist to face her. She glanced at his watch and tapped the glass face deliberately hard. "And I'm late..." She pushed past him. "So if you'll excuse me..."

Chase scoffed. "What about all that stuff about no room for secrets amongst friends?"

She threw a look over her shoulder, an eyebrow quirked. "Or potential friends... Don't forget that part."

"Well I think I qualify as a potential."

"You do, do you?" Chase nodded and Sheila's grin widened. "After that little episode last night, I don't think you have much potential at all..."

Chase threw his hands up. "Oh come on. You can't hold that against me forever."

Sheila shook her head. "No... But my secrets, even my name, I can..." She almost laughed at his fish like expression, his mouth opening and closing several times. "Have a nice day, Mr. Chase Collins..."

And with that, she opened the door and disappeared into the Provost's office, leaving Chase alone in the hallway. "What a bitch." He shook his head in silent mirth, shuffling the files thoughtfully in his grasp. _'I like it...'_

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sheila burst through the office door, out of breath. "Provost Higgins!" She paused and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry I'm late. I had a long night and slept in late."

Sheila wouldn't actually describe her and Kate's movie watching, girly giggling at all the shirtless guys and 500 plus sexual positions in the back issues of Cosmo magazines, getting 'chip-faced' on double, double chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream as a "long night".

It was, for lack of a better word, fun. And very interesting.

Not only did Sheila learn that Kate could fit her whole fist in her mouth, but that her and Pogue still haven't had sex and she was head over heels in love (if not, obsessed...) with Brad Pitt.

Kate found out that Sheila hated peas, didn't plan on going to Harvard (like every other person here at Spenser), and loved astronomy because, while studying it with her father, those moments were the only peace that was ever registered between the two.

Provost William Higgins smiled at her, his eyes catching the faint light of his desktop lamp as he gestured towards a seat. Sheila immediately accepted and plopped down in front of his desk, lazily fanning herself with one hand.

"It's quite alright, Sheila. Adjusting to anything new is difficult." Sheila smiled. William leaned back in his chair, lacing his hands together where they rested on his lap. "Now, tell me, how are things progressing with you and the people here at Spenser? Making any friends?"

Sheila shrugged. "Everything's great, I suppose." She blew air threw her lips, making a flapping noise, and slowly lowered her head onto the edge of his desk, moisture prickling the edges of her blue eyes. "I mean, I'm used to the stares..." She caught a falling tear on her lip and quickly licked it away. "... The whispers... And the rumors of you and my father don't help much either..." She paused. "But I'm dealing."

The older man, whose chin was wrinkled in layers of fat, sighed. "I heard about the incident between you and Keira Daniels." Sheila rolled her eyes and a small smile spread on William's face. "Now is that the way to start a new school year?"

"The school year technically hasn't started yet..." She mumbled, fiddling with the ink pens in his little, metal cup on the corner of his desk.

"Is something wrong, Miss Lamont?"

She cheesed him a huge smile and gave him a thumbs-up. "No. I'm great, Provost. Everything is going smoothly."

He stared at her and she could feel his pale grey eyes burning into the top of her head. "I'm under the impression that you are lying to me."

Sheila grunted. _'That's because I am...'_

"It's the dreams again, isn't it?"

Sheila nodded, pushing herself upright and leaned uncomfortably into her chair. "It's not just that, William."

"Tell me."

She took a deep breath and averted her gaze to the tree standing outside his office window. "I feel helpless when it comes to my Powers..." The Provost nodded and she continued. "But only sometimes, like when my emotions get extreme."

"Extreme? How? When you're angry?"

"Yeah. Angry and..."

William picked up a candy dish full of small, yellow round things and popped one in his mouth. "Lemon drop?" He held out the bowl towards her and she shook her head. "Angry and what?"

"I'm half succubus, Provost, doesn't that at least hint at anything?" He shrugged and she growled in frustration. "Horny!" Her face flushed in embarrassment when she saw the man's eyes widen. "It only happens when I'm angry or... turned on..."

William stifled a laugh with a cough. "Does this happen a lot?"

"No. I get stressed out the same as any teenager going to high school." She waved her hand dismissively in the air. "Just when I get really angry. Like the thing with Keira."

"And the other thing?"

She looked at him, a grin itching to form on her face. "I'm a succubus, William. To males, especially teenage ones, I ooze sex..."

Though he would never admit it out loud, being in her presence always made William feel uncomfortable, like at any minute the cops could burst in and arrest him for the thoughts that flew through his head anytime she was around.

They were inappropriate he knew.

He also knew that they weren't his fault.

They came because she was part succubus... a female sex demon... Gorman had told him it would happen more often since this was the year of her Ascension, but it still made William feel dirty... vile... and he hated himself for it. For every sexual image that reeled through his mind.

William shook his head. "You said it feels like you can't control your Power when this happens. Describe that for me."

Sheila licked her lips. "It's like I'm not even in my own body. Like the other half, the incubus, is trying to escape. The Power engulfs me and I almost feel like I'm drowning. Stifled, you know? And the only way to save myself is to find release from my frustrations." She lowered her voice. "Whether it be punching some bitch in the face or getting off..."

"And has it ever gotten to that point? Where you've, uh, released?"

"Yeah, Keira, remember?" He raised his eyebrows at her, prompting her to continue. "But sexually no, never, you know that. And you know why too."

He nodded. "I do."

They sat in silence for a moment before William stood and moved swiftly to a corner of his office behind her. She watched his movements, curious, as he picked up a huge post office box. She glanced her name scribbled on the side as he set it on his desk with a loud thud.

"The real reason you're here." He patted the box and looked at her. "We've been working on settling your dad's estate for some time now-" She nodded. "-and I am happy to tell you that it's finished. The lawyers have sifted through his Will and everything he left to you came in today, express." He drummed his fingers on the lid of the cardboard box.

She stood. "And?"

William seemed to be lost in thought. "Hmm? Oh and here it is." He scooted the box towards her and she pulled it closer with shaky hands, removing the lid. They both leaned over the edge of the box, peering in.

"This is all? Nothing more?"

He shook his head. "Afraid not. This is all it said."

Sheila's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I don't understand..."

Her father was a wealthy man.

Mansions across the country...

Luxury cars people couldn't afford with their lifetime earnings...

A private jet...

She reached inside the box, full of nothing but papers and manila envelopes filled with family pictures, more likely, and pulled out a tattered leather bound journal. It's pages yellowing and the letters 'J.L.D. III' etched into the front. She ran her fingers across the gilded initials, shaking her head, and looked at the Provost.

"J. L. D. the third." She read aloud. "This doesn't make sense. My father's name was Marcus Lamont." She threw the book back into the box unceremoniously. "I really don't understand. There must be some kind of mistake."

William walked around the desk and draped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close, in a fatherly manner. He patted her back. "I know, but this was what it said in his Will." He pulled back and looked at her. "The lawyers said they found them at your father's country estate. The one in Maine. Said they were hidden away in some wall safe." He sighed. "Look, I know it's not what you expected, but your father left these to you for a reason and whatever it is or was, you need to accept that fact." He stared into her eyes and saw a ripple of Power skid across the surface. "This box could contain your future..."

Sheila nodded, defeat etched on her frowning features. "I know..." She took a step back and wrapped her arms around her waist with a sigh. "My dad always did like a good mystery..."

William smiled, holding up a finger. "But wait, Sherlock, there's more." He reached into his suit pocket, pulling out a small velvet box. "He also left you this. It's not a key to one of his Ferraris, but I'm sure it'll do. "

She took it from his hands, hesitantly, and opened it. It was a locket. The silver tarnished, but still beautiful, the small round pendant glinting in the harsh office light. She used only her pointer finger to pick it up, hooking it through the tiny linked chain. Sheila watched it as it spun circles in the air between her and William, the curlicue letters "A" and "J" etched on opposing sides of the pendant.

She squinted her eyes curiously at it. It smelled of magic. She could feel it pulsating into her hand although she was only touching a minute surface of the chain.

It was VERY powerful...

"Open it up. See if there's a picture."

Sheila looked at the Provost, almost forgetting that he was in the room, and opened her mouth to protest, but his gentle smile changed her mind. She lay the pendant gently in her hand, feeling the cool weight of it in her palm, and ran a finger lightly across the sullied surface. Then, placing the tip of her tongue between her teeth, forcefully nudged her thumbnails into the tiny crevice between the pendant halves and pulled.

Nothing happened.

She tried again, this time harder, and still it didn't open.

She gave up, shrugging her shoulders in frustration. "It's stuck or something." A look of disappointment seemed to fleet across William's face and Sheila furrowed her eyebrows, but the look disappeared almost as fast as it had come. _'My imagination seems to be running away with me again.' _"Here." She held out her hand. "You try."

The Provost's eyes latched onto the locket, widening in fear. "Oh no." He held up his hands, letting out a nervous laugh. "I'd probably just break it."

Sheila shrugged, dropping it back into its velvet box, and shoved it into her fleece jacket pocket. "Anything else?"

"Yes." He held up a finger like he had just made some huge scientific discovery. "The release form must be signed or you don't get any of this stuff."

"Who said I wanted it in the first place..." She mumbled, clapping her mouth shut when he shot her a pointed look. She put on an innocent smile. "I was only joking. Where are the papers?"

He pulled them from his back pocket and slid them across the desk, grabbing a pen from his holder. "Here."

She took the pen with a huff and leaned over the legal document, scrawling her name in cursive on the marked line. "There." She dotted her 'I' and nearly dropped the pen when she felt a surge of magic encompass her hand. She let out a gasp, the room spinning for a moment before her eyes settled on William, his face twisted in concern.

He touched a hand to her shoulder. "You okay?"

She nodded, closing her eyes for a moment. _'What is wrong with me? Why do I keep feeling these things...?' _

Her eyes fluttered open and she put on a tiny smile. "Well thank you so much, William." She hugged him and the older man took a step back in surprise before wrapping his huge, meaty arms around her petite frame. "For this-" She gestured to the box still sitting undisturbed on his desk. "-and-" She paused, her eyes glistening with tears. "-everything... My father couldn't have picked a better man to take care of me."

William leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "Your welcome. I have never experienced anything that you have on such a level, but I do know that it takes a special kind of courage to get over what we go through." He gave her another squeeze. "And you, my dear, are very brave..."

Sheila pulled herself from his grasp, laughing, and wiping tears from her cheeks. "I'm sorry. I get so emotional sometimes."

The Provost shrugged, grinning. "At least you didn't punch me in the face."

She laughed, playfully slapping his arm, and the sound warmed his heart. It was so nice to see her smile, a true smile, after all she had been through.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He had found her in the woods after a day of fishing with his wife, Sheila's Mustang sitting undisturbed on the side of the road, but it was the smoke from the SUV that had caught his attention first. He found her not too far from the wreck, bruised, rivers of blood flowing from her abdomen where a thick tree branch had impaled her.

A hand to his mouth, he thought her dead. Then he heard her groan and rushed to her side, cell phone being pulled from his slacks pocket as he descended the embankment, his wife standing wide eyed in terror at the image before her. The ambulance from Gloucester arrived within minutes, strapping her limp, pale body to a gurney as the police searched the area for the others.

Her father and the unknown couple they could not save...

All three deaths were announced undetermined at their autopsies...

Marcus' Will was taken into legal custody by his family's lawyers...

Sheila's adoption papers were signed shortly after...

The boy in the woods was never found although Sheila insisted with utmost determination that he existed...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

William shook his head, breaking the reverie. "Well I shouldn't keep you. School starts Tuesday so I'm sure you have some supply shopping to do or something."

"I do. I'm actually meeting Kate in town right after this. Thank God for Labor Day falling on a Monday this year, huh?" She replaced the lid on the box and hefted it from the oak desktop with a grunt. She grinned. "Three day weekends are great..."

She was halfway out the door when he spoke.

"You should come by the house sometime and visit. Miranda really misses you."

She threw a smile over her shoulder. "Tell her to make that delicious lasagna of hers and it's a deal."

William chuckled with a nod.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sheila stared at the unturned keys in her Mustang's ignition, letting her hand fall to her lap with a tiny sigh. She turned to stare at the box that William said could contain her future, but instead held nothing but forgotten memories and some ratty journals and legal documents.

She drummed her fingers thoughtfully on her thigh, biting her lip to prevent herself from crying.

Or screaming.

She closed her eyes for a moment, slowly counting to one hundred between deep breaths, then opened them again, angrier than she previously was.

Without thought or effort, she punched the side of the box with a grunt. Then picked it up, throwing it against the passenger door where it fell onto the floor, lopsided, the contents spilling out, staring emotionlessly back at her.

Almost as if they were mocking her.

'_...What am I supposed to do now?... I was counting on that money...'_

She took a deep, uncertain breath, pulling the locket box from her jacket pocket and gazed at it for a beat. Sheila snickered, sticking her tongue out at it, and threw it on the floor with the rest of her unwanted belongings.

Sheila banged her steering wheel with open palms. "Damn it!" She fell back onto her leather seat, out of breath, and put her head in hands, finally letting almost 2 months worth of sobs wrack her still shaking body.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chase's SUV sat across the student parking lot as he watched Sheila weep, a look of complete sympathy on his usually malevolent face.

**A/N: **Whoo! That was a long one! You got to peek into Sheila's past a bit and kind see what went down after the accident that day her father died... I hope it was worth the wait! Is Chase stalking Sheila now?... Coming up next, Sheila and Caleb fluff (finally!). Please review!


	12. The Volunteer Vampire

**A/N: **Me again! Hope you liked that last chapter... This one takes place on the same day, only later, when Sheila goes into town to meet Kate.

I made a HUGE booboo in chapters 5 and 11. I had to change a word or two in them because I mistakenly called Sheila an incubus (male sex demon) and not a succubus (female sex demon). So basically I just changed the incubus word to succubus. No big deal!

**CHAPTER 12:**

**The Volunteer Vampire**

"So, what are you going to wear?" Sheila asked. A sweet Sunday breeze swept passed the two girls. Sheila pulled her jacket tighter around herself, her skirt fluttering around her legs.

Kate shrugged, adjusting her pageboy hat. "I don't really know... A dress..."

Sheila put a hand over her mouth in mock surprise. "No... Is that what you're supposed to wear to a dance?"

Kate playfully smacked her friend's arm. "Don't make fun..." She stuck out her bottom lip.

Sheila laughed, throwing an arm over Kate's shoulders. "I'm just kidding."

They were walking down the main street in town, trying to find a quaint little dress shop so they could purchase their gowns for the back to school dance. The fact that the nearest mall was nearly an hour away and the dance was happening in less than two weeks didn't help the constant stress that Sheila felt.

"I still don't see why we have to wear such nice dresses. It's not even prom..."

"God, Sheila, you say that like it's such a horrible thing. Besides, your wearing a skirt right now and with those killer legs, I wouldn't complain."

Sheila stopped walking, half listening to her friend's ramblings, her face now pressed against a shabby looking store front window. "Hey... let's check out this place..."

Kate looked at her, then studied the dilapidated, red door of the shop. " I don't know... It looks kind of-"

"What? Are you scared?" Sheila poked her friend, teasing.

Kate shook her head. "No!" She grabbed Sheila's arm and practically dragged her into the shop.

"Ow! You're pinching my arm skin..." Sheila jerked her arm away from Kate, but before she could reprimand her friend, she glanced around the shop in complete awe.

Compared to department stores you find at malls, this shop was minuscule, but the atmosphere was warm and inviting. Several candles were lit on the various display tables and the light melody of Beethoven wafted in from some unseen back room.

"Wow..." Kate walked over to a display, touching the fabric of several dresses as she passed by. "These are incredible... Sheila, come here... take a look at this dress."

Sheila made to walk over there, but stopped when someone touched her arm.

"May I help you?"

Both girls jumped in surprise. Sheila turned towards the voice and saw a decrepit woman standing behind her, her somewhat ghastly figure a dramatic contrast to that of the cheery shop. Despite her withering face and greying hair, the woman's eyes were bright blue as they observed the two girls. She smiled, her teeth yellow and missing as she quietly shifted an earring tree between her hands, the soft tinkling of her bangle bracelets echoing in the silence.

Sheila forced herself to stop staring and shook her head. "No, we're just looking..."

"How come I've never noticed this place before?" Kate asked while pulling a bluish-green dress off a rack.

The woman smiled. "My store is new. Just moved here a couple of months ago... After my husband passed away." She looked at the two girls. "Well, if you need anything just tell me. My name's Camilla."

Sheila nodded, watching as the lady disappeared behind a beaded curtain. "Okay, thank you." She looked at Kate, an eyebrow quirked, and put a gloved hand to her chest, letting out a deep breath. "She scared the poop out of me..." She whispered, her giggles mingling with Kate's.

"Come on,-" Kate said, wrapping her scarf tighter around her neck. "-let's get out of here before that creepy, old lady comes back..."

Sheila mouth dropped open in amusement. "Wait a second..." She grabbed Kate's hand and pulled it away from the scarf, the material falling loosely to her friend's chest. "Ms. Kate Tunney, is that-?" She squinted her eyes at the small purplish blotch on Kate's neck. Her eyes widened. "It is!" She pointed at it, giggling.

A blush spreading to Kate's face as she quickly tried to cover the hickey with her hand, but the damage was already done. "It's nothing!"

Sheila scoffed, pushing open the shop's door, the bell overhead ringing a soft good-bye as they exited. She poked her friend playfully in the arm as they headed a couple of stores down to Mr. Randal's Grocery. "You don't even curl your hair... Can't use that excuse..."

Kate looked at her, dropping her hand, defeated, and frowned. "Does it look that bad?"

Sheila thought for a moment, rubbing her gloved hands together in a feeble attempt to warm them. "No." She answered, honestly. "It doesn't. Besides, your skin color hides it really well."

"Gee, thanks." Kate rolled her eyes. "It must look horrible." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I wanted to tell Pogue to stop but..."

Sheila smiled. "But it felt too good, huh?"

"Yes..." Kate sighed. "Does the fact that I liked it make me a slut?"

"Are you kidding me?!" Sheila threw an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. "At least you did that with your long time boyfriend and not some complete stranger like most the girls around here do. You're not a slut, Kate. And it's not wrong to like what your body is feeling." She smiled, shrugging. "It's natural... Everybody does it, they just don't talk about it."

Sheila held open the door as they entered the grocery store, quickly heading to the snack food aisle.

"And what about you?" Kate casually asked, picking up a pack of cookies, sniffing them, then placing them in her cart.

The question took Sheila by surprise. "Me?" She threw various kinds of chips into the quickly growing food pile. "What about me?"

"Like... How do you stand... experience wise...?"

"Honestly?" Kate nodded. "I've never even kissed a boy..." Sheila looked at Kate for a long moment, trying to gauge her next reaction, a fleeting slice of anger passing through her as Kate started laughing.

"You can't be serious!" Kate looked at Sheila and saw a frown wrinkling her friend's forehead. Her laughter died away. "Oh my God, you are serious." Her chocolate face melted in compassion. "I'm sorry, I didn't know. I just thought with the way you carry yourself and the guys drooling every time you walk into a room..." Kate shrugged. "I figured you had more experience..."

"What are you talking about? The way I carry myself?"

Kate sighed. "Oh, don't kid yourself, honey. You know what I'm talking about."

Sheila shook her head, her eyebrows raised. "Enlighten me, oh great one."

"Your presence." She paused, looking at Sheila, who looked right back, confused. "Your aura." Another pause, more confusion. "That certain something." She gestured wildly around Sheila's body as if she could physically touch it. "Whatever you want to call it, you have it. Girls can't help but envy you and when guys look at you all they see is-" Kate snapped her fingers. "-sex. And lots of it, too. Tongues wag and claws come out. I've seen it, I swear."

'_Well, hell, I knew that, but if she can feel it too, I can only imagine what the boys must go through...' _Sheila snickered. "I don't care what people think, you know that."

Kate nodded. "I know. I'm just letting you in on an outsider's perspective."

"Well, thanks. I guess." She picked up a bottle of concealer and placed it into the cart.

"Who's that for? You don't wear make-up..." Kate picked it up and peered at it, curiously.

"It's for you." Sheila grinned. "I'm sick of your hickey looking at me." She caught the toilet paper roll Kate had launched at her, laughing.

Kate pointed at her, placing the concealer back on the shelf. "That's messed up, Sheila."

"What?! At least you have a boyfriend, I can't even get a stranger to suck on my neck!" She set the toilet paper on a random can display, running into someone as she took a step backward around the corner (Not that she had a choice... Kate was coming at her FAST with the cart, a look of determination on her beautiful face.).

The person placed their hands on her shoulders, halting her stumble.

"Are you taking any volunteers?"

Sheila turned, her face twisting in annoyance as she recognized the velvety voice. "You again?!"

Chase smiled. "Me... Again..."

"Chase, hi!"

Sheila whipped around to glare at her friend, who was waving at Chase, as she leaned down to grab a copy of the local paper. "You know him?!"

Kate shrugged, the newspaper ruffling as she flipped to the entertainment section. "Yeah, he was in my first group as I was doing campus tours a couple of days ago."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Kate looked at her, eyebrow arched. "Uh, sorry..." She closed the paper for a moment and gestured between Chase and Sheila. "Chase, this is my roommate and hickey-free friend, Sheila. Sheila, this is Chase, single and eager to suck on your neck."

Chase and Sheila blushed.

Sheila turned back to him, tucking her hair behind her ear, and removed her mittens, stuffing them into her jacket pockets. "Hi..." She peered at him, her face flushed with embarrassment, as he took her hand and raised it to his lips. Her mouth parted in a tiny gasp as his lips brushed a light kiss over her knuckles.

"Finally, a name to go with such a lovely face..." _'Little peach, you have such soft skin... How I'd give anything to find out what it tastes like...'_

Sheila pulled her hand roughly from his grasp. "Yes, well, some people-" She threw a glare at Kate who was pretending to read the newspaper although it was clear that she was listening intently to their conversation. "-obviously don't know the secrets among friends rule." She saw Kate shrug and growled in frustration.

Chase looked at her, hurt scrunching his features. "Is it really that horrible that I know your name?"

Sheila sighed, then shook her head. "No." She moved passed him into the next aisle, picking up random boxes as she went, the rusty squeak of Kate's cart following closely behind. "I just like a good mystery, that's all..."

"You mean a game."

Sheila stopped, squinting thoughtfully at Chase, then smiled. "That too..."

Chase stepped up behind her, placing a hand on the shelf in front of her face, but she didn't turn around. He leaned in, his breath fluttering across her cheek. "Do you do it to intentionally hurt people?" He pulled back a bit to watch her profile. "Or maybe yourself?"

She sidestepped him, a vicious grin plastered on her face. "Is that what you make of me?"

Chase shrugged. "Why not?"

She was in front of him now, his back to the shelf, and stepped closer to him, her hand snaking out to reach inside his jacket and smooth the wrinkles on the front of his shirt. Chase gasped, causing her smile to grow.

"Because I've experienced hurt and I would never cause emotional harm to anyone..." She thumped a button on his shirt. "...at least not on purpose..." Her hand swept upward, her pointer finger tracing the outline of the brand name written in cursive on his Polo. "I don't do it to hurt people, Chase..." Her voice had dropped to a whisper as she leaned ever closer to him, her lips brushing his ear.

Chase closed his eyes as he felt her hand drop from his chest and she brushed her knuckles knowingly across the front of his khakis where his erection was displayed, throbbing and ready.

Chase's eyelids snapped open and he looked at her, taken aback. _'What is she doing?' _His hazel green eyes flicked over to Kate, who was standing a few feet away, newspaper held in front of her, unaware of her friend fondling him in the middle of a grocery store. He scanned the aisles around them.

No one in sight.

They were alone.

Chase gulped, turning his attention back to Sheila, who was looking intently at him, magic skidding across the surface of her brilliant golden eyes. He furrowed his eyebrows. _'Golden? I thought her eyes were blue...' _His eyes widened in realization. _'The succubus...' _He opened his mouth to protest, but it was quickly replaced with a moan as she turned her wrist slightly to the right, palming his cock, and rubbed her thumb in slow circles on the tip.

"Then why?" He asked, his voice gruff and unsteady.

Sheila smiled against his ear, flicking out the tip of her tongue to lick his ear lobe. "This..." She gave his cock a slight squeeze and Chase clenched his hands into fists, fighting for control. "This I do for fun..." She released his member and reached behind his head, grabbing a small, pink box from the shelf.

He caught her wrist in his hand and growled. "Why do you keep doing that?"

She wrenched her arm from his grasp. "If you wanted the last box, all you had to do was say so." She opened his palm and placed the box in his hand.

He blinked at her and she blinked back, her eyes going from bright gold to their original deep blue. She turned on her heel, walking over to Kate, and peered curiously at the paper.

Chase shook his head. _'She doesn't even remember... This can't be good...'_ He drummed his fingers on his chin. _'...Or could it...' _He smirked, glancing at the little box in his hand and dropped it almost immediately.

It was a box of tampons.

He looked up and saw Sheila peering over the top of the paper, the corners of her eyes crinkled in a smile. He couldn't help but join in, kicking the pink box across the aisle to her.

She daintily bent down in her skirt and picked it up, mouthing a silent 'Thanks' to him.

Chase nodded his head. "No problem."

Kate snapped the paper and expertly folded it in half, the interlude that just happened between the other two teenagers definitely going unnoticed by her. "Ooh!" She squealed, pointing to a small section in the middle of the page. "The new Brad Pitt movie is out!" She latched onto Sheila's arm, causing the other girl to wince. "Sheila, you have to come and see it with me!"

Sheila wrestled her arm from the fanatic's death grip and rubbed it. "I don't know, Kate." She let a deep, sarcastic breath and rolled her eyes. "_Another_ Brad Pitt movie where he walks around without a shirt on the whole time and kicking ass with hot sweat sliding off his abs..." She paused and placed her hands on her hips, shaking her head. "I don't think I can sit through it..."

She tried to keep a straight face, she really did, but Kate put on the puppy dog pout and Sheila couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh no?" Kate scoffed. "A jumbo tub of popcorn, some snow caps, and an extra large root beer and you will soon be singing a different tune, cutie." She playfully spanked Sheila's butt.

Sheila covered her mouth in mock surprise. "Oh God, you do know what I like..."

Kate giggled. "That's right, baby."

"Oh shoot." Sheila smacked an open palm to her forehead. "I can't. I just remembered I have to get my uniform fitted today."

Kate's face fell. "Aww... That sucks. I don't want to go by myself."

"I'll go." Chase chirped in.

Kate smiled. "Okay." She looked at Sheila. "Maybe afterwards we can meet up and get some ice cream or something."

Sheila nodded. "Sounds great." She pulled her gloves out of her pockets and slipped them on her hands. "You good here?" She gestured to the cart.

"Yeah. I'll be fine."

"Okay. Call me when the movie's done. And Kate?" Sheila tapped the side of her neck, then pointed at Kate, grinning evilly, knowing her friend would get the joke. "You play nice..."

Kate waved her off, laughing to hide the embarrassment. "Go! Just go!"

"And Chase?" Chase looked at Sheila, watching as her eyes flashed to gold. "Always a pleasure..." She winked, her eyes turning back to normal, smiling shyly as she exited the grocery store.

**A/N: **Hmm... Interesting developments... Looks like the succubus is trying to find, uh, release... Sorry there was no Caleb/Sheila fluff but it's going to happen maybe in the next chapter or the one after that. shrugs Whatever I feel like... grin Please keep reading and review!!!


	13. Secret Rendevous

**A/N: **Please don't hate me! throws up shield I know I promised Sheila/Caleb fluff in the last chapter, but didn't give it to you... I am sorry... This chapter doesn't have it either... It was supposed to, but I realized that it would be WAY too long a chapter so I decided to cut it and save it for the next chapter. This one is just a little snippet into the evil doings of certain people, but it's pretty important. It's not Caleb/Sheila fluff, but I hope you like it anyway... Please review.

**CHAPTER 13:**

**Secret Rendevous**

A small smirk played across Evelyn Danvers' features as she cautiously made her way through the vast kitchen into the dining room, knife in hand. She stood in front of her birthday cake, eyes closed, her thin, ruby lips moving in a silent, adolescent wish. She finished saying what she wanted and drew in a deep breath, but before she could blow out the candles, they were extinguished by a chilly wind as the front door creaked open, a man with thinning hair entering the foyer.

She could hear the roar of Caleb's Mustang in the background as it lumbered down the driveway, his honking horn a casual good-bye as he made his way towards town.

The man's footsteps echoed throughout the room as he made his way over to her. He gave her a light peck on the cheek before stealing the knife from her hand and cutting a slice out of the cake.

"Not celebrating without me, are you?" He asked, her look of surprise and bemusement causing a grin to spread across his face. "Darling, why the funny expression?" He chuckled. "Cake?" Evelyn pushed away the offered plate and turned away from him. "Are you sure?" He stepped in front of her, wafting the cake piece under her nose. "It's chocolate... Your favorite..."

She sighed. "No, thank you..."

He frowned, setting the plate on the table, and placed his hands gently on her shoulders. "Is something wrong? Anything I can do to help?"

"No, you've done enough." She mumbled.

"Then what ever is the matter?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. Let's just get down to business." She paused. "Did you get her to sign it?"

The man reached into his jacket, a mischievous grin spreading on his wrinkling face, and pulled out a long, white envelope. He held it out to her, but before she could possess them in her perfectly manicured hands, he snatched it back, laughing, then threw the envelope onto to the table.

Evelyn eyed his look of triumph wearily. "I take that as a yes... How did you do it?"

The grin he displayed grew bigger. "Through the Provost."

She let out a sound of disgust. "I will never understand why you insist on wearing him as a Glamour..."

"Easy access..."

"But you always make him look fatter than he really is. Someone is going to notice one of these days." He shrugged and she shook her head. "Did she get her things?"

He nodded. "Yeah, it was nothing really. No check, just a bunch of journals and envelopes..."

"And the locket, right?"

"Of course..." He grinned. "Can't forget that important detail..."

She returned the smile. "Good."

"And what of Caleb?" He asked, swiping a finger across the top of the cake. "Did he see the Will?" He licked the frosting from his index.

"Not only that, but the little bastard signed it..." She shrugged. "Go figure..."

The older man looked startled for a moment, his mouth turned down in a contemplative frown. "Hmm... Interesting..."

"So what does this mean? Now that we've gotten everyone to sign the contract..."

He shrugged. "Nothing and everything. As of now, they are all magically connected to each other." He paused. "Unknowingly bound by this contract. Not even Chase knows of the others..." He sucked thoughtfully on his freshly frosted finger. "They must complete anything and everything that it entails or the consequences could be severe, especially for you, my sweet." He smiled. "But do not worry, the way things are progressing, it should only be a matter of time before one of them Claims her." He paused. "But it has to be done before she Ascends, of course." She nodded and he smiled. "They share the same DNA, love... We have a fifty-fifty chance..."

Evelyn nodded, clapping her hands together. "Excellent. All is going according to plan."

He shook his head in mirth. "Look at you. So serious." He mocked. "Just enjoy the moment."

She turned and picked up a piece of cake. "I'd enjoy it more if you'd quit teasing me." She said between bites.

He stuck out his tongue, to which she replied with her middle finger. He feigned surprise, then smirked. "I always knew you were a wild one." He stepped towards her, placing his hands atop her hips. "All you have to do it tell me when and where... I'd be more than happy to oblige, my sweet..."

She quirked an eyebrow, setting down her plate, her golden eyes full of mischief and lust. "Well, in that case-"

He put up a hand to silence her and breathed deeply in. "What is that alluring odor?" He leaned towards her, the tip of his nose brushing her neck. "Are you wearing a new perfume?"

Evelyn furrowed her brows in confusion. "No. Why?"

He leaned closer still, his lips lingering above her exposed collar bone. "It smells divine... whatever it is..." His tongue flickered out, lightly making a path of saliva from her collar bone to her ear lobe. They both let out synchronized moans. "Oh, the blood of an innocent always tasted sweet..." He grinned against her ear. "But on you, dear, it is positively erotic..."

She ran her hands down the length of his back, passed his hips, and gave his rear a forceful squeeze. "Yes, well, I do try..."

He ran his fingers up her arm, his feather soft touch causing a small giggle to escape her. "And did you succeed?"

She stepped away from him, grinning. "Turn around and see for yourself."

He did and inwardly cringed at the sight before him. It was of two young girls, both blondes, their maid's uniforms rumpled from the magical impact. Their eyes were still open, the milky, white orbs staring lifelessly at the ceiling. Their mouths were frozen in silent screams.

"Who were they?"He stepped closer, nudging a food tray one had been carrying with the toe of his boot. The contents, mostly various fruits and bits of cheese, were scattered among the bodies.

Evelyn shrugged. "Merely servants, nothing more."

"Did they have family?"

"No." She could feel herself slowly getting agitated. "They never do."

"But they're so young..."

"The younger, the better." She sighed. "How do you think I keep this face?"

"Botox works wonders, you know..." _'The other must have been carrying the liquor...' _He thought as he crunched over glass, the bottle of whiskey and shot glass shattered on the wooden floor. "What a waste..." He mumbled.

"That's what you're for." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Can't you just magically fix it for me?" She spat out.

"Yes, but at what cost..."

She stared at the back of his head for a long moment before sighing, raising a hand dramatically to her forehead. "I'm growing tired..."

A sardonic grin appeared on his face. "Yes, well, nothing like sucking the life force out of young girls to take away all your energy..." He turned to look at her. "Evelyn, can I ask you something?"

"Sure. Anything."

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course not, darling." She said without hesitation. "Why?"

He crossed the dining room towards her and took her hands in his. "Good girl. You shouldn't." He reached inside his jacket and pulled out a small, black box. "Here. Happy Birthday."

She took the box and gave it a slight shake. "What is it?"

"Open it, silly, and find out."

So she did, letting out a gasp as she pulled out a long chain. On the end hung a silver locket, her initials engraved on one side. Evelyn narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"This isn't like the one you gave Anneliese, is it?"

"No, my sweet. This one is meant for protection, not enslavement. I cast the spells myself..." He shook his head, laughing. "I'm not that fucking stupid... I sure as hell wouldn't want to feel the wrath of you if it was like hers..."

'_This is true... You wouldn't...' _She gave him a sidelong glance, her mouth twitching with a smile. "I don't know what to say..."

"Say you love it and that you'll be mine forever." He took the necklace from her hand, ushering her to lean forward so he could place it around her neck.

"I- I love it." She kissed him then, the locket momentarily forgotten between her breasts. "And I shall be yours forever."

He smiled. "And I yours, Evelyn Danvers..."

She frowned slightly and looked up at him. "You promise?" She whispered.

"Gorman Twoberry is a man of his word..." He whispered back, then kissed her again.

**A/N: **Ha! Bet you never saw that one coming, did you? What did you think? Interesting or no? Please tell me in a review. And thanks to all of you have continued reading this fic thus far. I really appreciate it! grin


	14. The King of Lame

**A/N: **I'm sorry it took so flippin' long for me to update, but here's my newest chapter! Let me just get a few things straight, however... 1) the succubus is only in it for lust and 2) Sheila is in it for love... That's why the two halves are constantly battling... They are both trying to find release, but thankfully, the two will eventually find a happy middle in Caleb... :)

**CHAPTER 14:**

**The King of Lame**

Chase glanced at his watch. "Are you sure they're coming?"

Kate licked her ice cream cone and turned to look out the parlor's window. No sign of Sheila or Pogue on either side of the street. "That's what they said..." She shrugged. "I'm sure they'll be here in a few minutes." She turned back to the table, smiling as she watched Tyler pour more root beer on his Black Cow. "So... Who're you taking to the dance, Tyler?"

She didn't know why she bothered asking. Tyler never took anyone. Too damn cute for his own good and too damn shy to ask a girl out, but for the lack of conversation as they awaited the arrival of her boyfriend and Sheila, she thought she'd be polite and ask anyway.

Tyler started, the root beer/vanilla ice cream concoction spilling down the sides of his mug. He let out a frustrated curse, sopping up the mess with a few napkins. "No one yet..."

Kate leaned forward, the gossip queen's interest peaked. "Ooh... I see... Holding out for someone special this time...?..."

Tyler's eyes darted to Reid, who was leaning back in his chair, his fingers steepled. He gave the younger boy a nonchalant shrug, his eyes sparkling with laughter.

"N-no..." Tyler stuttered. "Just keeping my options open..."

Kate nodded, smirking. "Right..." She set her treat into an extra bowl and stabbed a spoon through the cone. "How about you, Chase? Got a date yet?"

Chase shook his head, taking a swig from his soda. "I haven't really been thinking about it."

"You know... Sheila's still dateless..."

"And she's soon to be _roommate-less_ if you don't learn to keep quiet."

The table turned to see Sheila standing before them, grinning, her hair a bit ruffled as she unbuttoned her jacket and placed it on the back of a chair as she sat down. She playfully pushed Kate's shoulder.

Pogue stood just behind her removing his bicycle helmet. He took the chair next to Kate and turned it around. He gave his girlfriend a quick peck on the cheek as he sat down, his arms resting on the back of the chair.

"Hey baby! You missed a great movie!"

Pogue shrugged out of his jacket and ran his hand through his hair. He smiled. "I'll make it up to you later..."

Kate blushed, nudging his chest with her elbow. "It's okay though... Chase kept me company."

Pogue eyed the boy sitting across from him wearily. After a long moment, he held out his hand. "Hey. Pogue."

Chase took his hand and automatically felt the other boy's muscles clench. Chase _almost _winced in pain. "Chase." He coughed before pulling his hand from Pogue's menacing grasp.

Sheila watched the exchange, a perfectly plucked eyebrow quirked. She shook her head, smirking, the electric heat of testosterone crackling through the air. _'Okay... Time for a subject change... NOW...' _She cleared her throat.

"So, uh, Pogue, I saw your Ducati out there. It's really nice."

Pogue broke away from his death stare that he was throwing at Chase and settled into his chair, rubbing his chest. "Yeah... That's my other baby..."

Sheila inched her hands towards his and used her index finger to draw lazy circles on the back of his hand. "So..." She tilted her head to the side, bringing her other hand up to sweep the length of her neck. Her eyes flashed gold and Chase immediately felt the change in her attitude, a rush of heat and blood flowing to his genitals. He saw the other boys at the table squirm uncomfortably in their seats.

He inwardly groaned. _'Not again...' _

"When are you going to let _me _ride, Pogue...?" Sheila flashed the long haired boy a somewhat devious smile.

Pogue pulled his hand away and unconsciously rubbed it on his jeans. It felt like it was on fire... He put on a smile anyway and he didn't care how fake it looked. "Soon, I promise..."

Sheila's smile widened. "Great answer..." A beat passed.

Suddenly, her body jerked forward a little and she sat up straight, shaking her head, as if trying to get rid of something. Her eyes flashed back to deep blue. Chase let out the breath he was holding as the succubus went back into hiding. _'Thank God...' _Sheila shook her head again and placed her hands flat upon the table as she stood.

"Anybody want anything?" Everyone shook their heads. "My treat..." The males were unable to meet her gaze. Sheila shrugged. "Okay... suit yourselves..."

She walked up to the counter, a bit sluggish, the magic that was brimming below her skin upping her body temperature. Sheila sighed. _'This sucks.' _She nodded at the young cashier to get his attention and the boy approached her, the towel he had been using to wipe the counter with tossed carelessly into a nearby sink.

"What can I get for you, cutie?" He wiped his hands roughly on his apron, causing his shaggy hair to fall into his eyes.

"A black cow, please." She heard the parlor's door open and shut then, the bell hanging overhead tinkling its greeting as people shuffled inside. The laughter of what sounded like a huge group reached her ears, the cool, outside wind they brought with them sweeping up her legs. She shivered, drawing her arms around herself.

The ice cream server's upper lip curled in a suggestive smile. "Anything to turn that frown upside down..." He cooed.

Sheila let out an exasperated laugh as he pulled a mug from a shelf. "Better make that a double scoop."

"Hitting it kind of hard, aren't we, Higgins?"

She jumped a bit at the noise suddenly so close to her and heard the male chuckle at her surprise. She turned toward the voice, putting on a small smile. "Oh, hey, Aaron..." She took the mug full of vanilla ice cream and root beer from the boy behind the counter. "Thanks." She mumbled at him, throwing a few rumpled dollar bills onto the counter. "Keep the change." She scooted down the counter to allow the customers behind her to order.

"Double scoop, huh? Don't you have to drive?"

Sheila smiled at Aaron's feeble attempt at humor (and a conversation) as she used her spoon to mix the concoction into a fine mush. "Yeah, but I need it..."

Aaron chortled. "What you need-" He touched her elbow. It was gentle, but enough to stop her from moving further down the counter. "-is for someone to show you a good time..."

She fiddled with her spoon, her eyebrows raised. "Oh yeah?" He nodded, giving her a once over. _'Lame...' _She thought, rolling her eyes.

She caught sight of a fuming Keira sitting just behind him, her face red, hands clenched into fists in her lap, her bandaged nose twitching as she set her jaw. The booth she was sitting at was fully occupied by what Sheila guessed was her "bitch posse", all wearing the same confused expression as they watched Aaron flirt shamelessly with her. _'Hmm...' _

She looked back at Aaron, who had stepped closer to her, leering, and she inwardly shuddered. "And I suppose you can do that for me...? Show me a good time...?" She asked, testing him, seeing how far she could really push him... and for that matter, Keira too...

"No doubt, beautiful..."

Sheila _almost _burst out laughing, but she held her composure, her mouth twitching at his dorky comment. "And where would you take me?" She idly stirred her ice cream, some of the contents spilling over the side of the chilled mug. She used her finger to stop its descent and slid it upwards, capturing the rest of the vanilla foam.

Aaron watched her, practically drooling, as she took her finger and placed the wholething in her mouth, letting it slide slowly through her full lips. He swallowed, licking his lips, and shuffled nervously from one foot to the other. Sheila inwardly grinned. _'Score one for me...' _

Aaron shook his head, breaking his momentary lapse of horny. "I'll take you to the dance, of course." He paused. "I'll let you be my date."

She scoffed. "You'll let me?" She laughed then, really laughed, right in his face. She waved her hand dismissively, shaking her head. "I don't think so."

She turned to walk back to the table, but he grabbed her elbow, this time not so gently, and she stopped. "Oh, c'mon..." He reached out and she flinched when he brushed hair from her eyes, his fingertips fluttering possessively over her cheek. She blinked, unable to move, and he smiled as he gained the upper hand. "It'll be fun..."

Sheila looked at his hand on her elbow, reaching out unconsciously with her Powers to read his thoughts, his intentions. _"...so untouched... I must have her... No!... I WILL have her...' _

She pulled her arm from his grasp, frowning. "I said no, Aaron." She saw Keira get up from her table, a look of concern etched on her face as she sipped her strawberry milkshake. Sheila didn't care if the snob was still pissed at her, silently pleading for anything to interrupt this conversation.

He narrowed his eyes and Sheila cursed under her breath. She was starting to realize that Aaron Abbott was not the kind of guy that was used to hearing the word 'No'.

And if he did, he would stop at nothing to get what he wanted, she was sure...

"And why not?" He growled. Sheila flicked her gaze from his burning eyes to the table where the boys and Kate sat, not 10 feet away. Aaron followed her eyes and smirked. "Oh... I know why..." He nodded his head in her friends' direction. "You're taking one of those faggots, aren't you?" She shook her head and he stepped closer, invading her personal space again. "Let me guess... It's Reid, isn't it?" He gave her a once over, sneering. "Yeah, you look like you're in need of a good fuck. Garwin's definitely the guy for that."

Sheila's eyes widened at his absurdity. "Excuse me?!" She almost yelled, drawing the attention of several people, including Kate and the Sons. She straightened her back as she gained confidence and took a step away from his crowding form, pushing him back as she did so. "I'm not going with any of them and I'm certainly not going with you!"

The Sons stood, but held back as they saw their eldest enter the parlor.

"I'll make it worth your while, gorgeous..." Aaron reached out to grab her again, but she slapped his hand away. "Let me prove it to you..."

"I believe the lady said 'No', Aaron." The husky voice made Sheila jump for the second time that day.

The boy that had spoken walked up behind her, without pause, and snaked an arm around her waist, pulling her close. She didn't have to turn around to see who it was.

She recognized the onyx ring he always wore on his right ring finger...

"Besides, she's going with me..." He reached up, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear, and dropped a kiss on her flushed cheek. "Isn't that right?" He leaned down, his lips brushing her ear. "Just say yes... I'll explain later..." He whispered.

Sheila nodded numbly, touching her cheek, and gave Aaron a small shrug and a smile. "Yeah, that's right, Aaron..." The boy's breath was hot against her skin as he kissed her again, this time where the shoulder meets the neck, his lips lingering as he gently suckled her flesh. The hand on her stomach drew lazy circles across her sweater, deepening the flush of her skin. "I... uh..." She resisted the urge to close her eyes with a sigh. "...I forgot..."

The young man holding her threw a wicked smirk at Aaron as he continued to molest her neck with his velvet tongue. He shrugged, licking his lips. "Sorry, man. Better luck next time..."

She looked up at the guy standing behind her. His eyes were locked on Aaron, flashing with anger, the hand that was not around her waist was clenched in a tight fist. He chuckled at Aaron's bewildered expression, the sound a deep boom in his chest.

He felt her staring and looked down at her. She opened her mouth to say something, but he gave her a firm shake of his head and winked. She smiled, nodding, and finally released the breath she was holding, relief washing over her.

**A/N: **This chapter and the next one were supposed to be a single chapter, but I decided to cut it in half since the next one is from a different POV. I didn't want anyone to get confused... That and because I'm just evil...! UPCOMING FLUFF!!! For some reason, I had a really hard time writing this chapter... I'm still not 100 happy with it, but hopefully it turned out fine... What do you guys think? Review please!


	15. The Cowardly Lioness

**A/N: **Okay, here's the other half! Enjoy and review please!!!

**CHAPTER 15:**

**The Cowardly Lioness**

Caleb parked his Mustang right behind Pogue's yellow Ducati, careful not to scratch either of their brand new vehicles (early graduation presents from their parents.). He stepped out, the chilly wind causing his black peacoat to flap, and pocketed his keys, running a hand through his fluffy hair.

He had just left his house, having had a long, boring talk with his mother about his father's estate. After much debate over who would be the primary beneficiary, they finally settled on Caleb, since he was younger, and signed the papers to his father's Will.

Afterwards he had visited his dad at the old Ipswich house, James' medicine in hand. Gorman nowhere to be found, he left it on a bedside table, careful not to disturb his slumbering father and headed towards town to meet up with Pogue and the gang.

Caleb crossed the street to the ice cream parlor, whistling an unknown tune to himself. He stopped short in front of the parlor window, catching a glimpse of the raven haired newly found object of his long forgotten affection inside, talking to that asshole, Aaron.

He saw him leering, touching her delicate face with his filthy hands. Caleb narrowed his eyes, a low growl forming in his throat. _'Damn it... This is just what I need right now...' _He watched the scene play out with mild interest as she defiantly stood up to him.

Aaron grabbed her elbow and that was enough for Caleb to enter the parlor, annoyance skimming with Power below his skin. _'This won't end well...' _He walked in slowly, hands in his pockets.

"Excuse me?!" He saw her push him, anger and surprise skidding across Aaron's face. Caleb stifled a laugh. "I'm not going with any of them and I'm certainly not going with you!"

Caleb idled up to the table his friends were occupying. They, along with a boy he had never seen before, were now standing, ready to haul Aaron out back if they needed. Caleb walked up to them, ushering them back with a dismissive wave.

"Hey, guys, let me handle this one." He said, passing his friends without so much as a backward glance. He saw Pogue nod and smirked, making his way towards Sheila where he stood directly behind her.

At the same moment, he saw Keira stand and make her way towards them, stopping three tiles short behind Aaron, her bushy hair the only thing visible to Caleb from his current view.

Caleb saw a lion move in a similar fashion once on the Discovery Channel.

Watching...

Prying...

Stalking and mutilating the enemy to protect the pack...

"I'll make it worth your while, gorgeous... Let me prove it to you..."

Caleb watched in slow motion as Aaron reached out to touch her again. He was going to spoil her smooth, flawless skin with his worthless fingers... He couldn't let that happen... Just the thought of another man caressing her skin, kissing her full lips, was more than he could stand... She slapped Aaron's hand away and something in Caleb snapped.

"I believe the lady said 'No', Aaron." Suddenly he felt disconnected from his brain as he walked flush behind her, wrapping a muscular arm around her tiny waist. She jumped, maybe at the contact, maybe at his unexpected presence, but she didn't turn to look at him. Instead, she seemed to relax a bit in his embrace.

"Besides, she's going with me..." _'What the hell are you doing, Danvers...?" _He reached up and brushed a few wispy strands of hair from her cheek, tucking it lightly behind her ear.

Everywhere he touched, Sheila's skin burned, the succubus stirring slightly within her.

It wanted to know who this male was that caused her so much excitement...

Her warm woman scent reached his nostrils and his head swam with dangerously erotic possibilities. He fluttered his fingertips over her now exposed skin and, without much contemplation, he bent down, dropping a kiss to her cheek.

Caleb swallowed as he felt her breath quicken, the heat rushing to her skin. A moment later, as if the heat from her body was slowly being transferred to his, he felt his cock flood with urgency, the appendage throbbing painfully against the front of his pants. It happened so suddenly and unexpectedly that it caused Caleb to say a fiery curse word under his breath.

'_Thank God she can't feel that...'_

"Isn't that right?" His lips were now fleeting across her ear. "Just say yes... I'll explain later..." He whispered, moving his lips further down to her neck, sucking it gently as she nodded her agreement.

"That's right, Aaron... I...uh..." She sighed, Caleb's hand kneading her stomach softly. "I forgot..."

Her skin was like velvet, just like he imagined it would be, the scent of her shampoo (peaches again...) invading his nostrils. He nuzzled her neck as he breathed it deeply in, storing it in his memory, and threw a seething Aaron a smirk.

'_I wonder what she tastes like...' _

Whatever the reasons behind his bold actions were, Caleb was unconcerned with it, the tip of his tongue flicking out, making hot, wet contact with her flushed skin. His teeth grazed her skin over her pulse, nipping the sensitive area eagerly. Sheila gasped and he could feel her body shiver at the stimulation. Aaron watched, his eyes narrowed, fists curled, his body positively shaking with anger.

Caleb shrugged, licking his lips, tasting her salty sweetness there. "Sorry, man. Better luck next time..."

Sheila looked at him, scanning his profile for answers to his bold actions. He chuckled, his eyes drilling holes into Aaron, the hand hanging at his side clenched in a tight fist. She furrowed her eyebrows, a pleading look on her face as he looked down at her.

She opened her mouth in protest. She wanted to know why he just did that. Stood up to Aaron for no real reason, telling him (and her) a bold faced lie without hesitation.

And how, with a mere touch to her neck with his tongue, did he make her hot for him...?

Sheila was _very _confused...

Caleb just shook his head, giving her a playful wink. Sheila slowly nodded, her thoughts a blur of emotions.

Anxiety...

Rage...

Lust...

Anticipation...

Sheila gave Aaron a tiny smile, causing the boy to explode in anger.

"This is bullshit!" Aaron quickly closed the gap between himself and Caleb, squishing Sheila helplessly between the two enemies.

Keira shuffled nervously behind Aaron, reaching a comforting hand out to his shoulder. Aaron didn't seem to notice, his fiery eyes locked on Caleb's, his nose inches from the other boy's face.

"Is there a problem, Cay?" Pogue walked forward, the other Sons and Chase, following cautiously behind. They weren't going to step in unless they had to... They knew Caleb was more than capable of holding his own in a fight.

Sheila could barely breath, their angry words sucking all the oxygen out of the air. She poked Aaron's chest hard, hoping the boy would take the hint and move away, but Aaron didn't budge, instead he stepped closer still, causing Sheila to step back.

She stumbled on Caleb's shoes, the mug of melted ice cream she was holding threatening to spill over her front. She threw an arm behind her to catch herself. She felt his belt buckle, cool and sophisticated, against her palm, her hand sliding slightly below it as she straightened her stance. Her eyebrows crashed together when her hand ran smoothly over something rigid where his front pocket should be. She ran her palm the length of it again, not at all paying the slightest attention to what was happening around her.

'_What in the world...?'_

She gave it a delicate squeeze, careful not to break it if it was valuable. She heard Caleb make a barely audible noise behind her, his hand on her stomach wrinkling her sweater as he clenched it. Sheila's eyes widened in realization. _'Oh my God...!' _A blush flooded her entire body, her hand jerking away from his erection.

She wanted desperately to run away and hide in her embarrassment, but knew it was impossible since she was currently sandwiched between two threateningly huge alpha males.

Caleb shook his head, his golden eyes never wavering from Aaron's defiant stare. "No problem, Pogue..." He flashed his eyes at Aaron and the other boy blinked, his face scrunching in confusion. "Right, Aaron?" Aaron suddenly backed up a few steps, almost tripping over Keira in his haste, and raised his hands in defeat, a scowl on his face.

Aaron pointed a finger at Caleb, almost clocking Sheila in the head as he did so. "You're one cocky son of a bitch, Danvers! You think that just because you win the school two state championships you got free reign and can stake your claim on anything!"

Caleb felt Sheila's muscles clench at the comment, guessing that being referred to as an object almost always pissed her off.

"You bastard..." He heard her mumble under her breath. He tightened his grip on her waist before she could make a move towards Aaron. Sheila squeaked in annoyed surprise.

Caleb held her fast when she began to squirm. "Stop!" He whispered. "Just let him walk away thinking he's the better man... We don't need another cafeteria incident..."

Sheila stopped moving with a huff, her eyes burning holes into Aaron, having half the notion to bite the finger off he was waving tauntingly in front of her.

"This isn't over, Danvers!" Aaron turned away with a growl, brushing roughly passed a bewildered Keira. "This isn't over by a long shot!" He shouted, exiting angrily, the parlor door banging shut after him.

Sheila let out the breath she was holding and disengaged herself from Caleb's iron grip. A nervous laugh bubbled out of her and she turned around to face her savior.

Caleb shook his head at her, a serious expression plaguing his handsome face. "How do you always end up in these situations?"

Sheila's mouth dropped and Caleb couldn't help but laugh. _'She looked SO damn cute...' _"But he-" She gestured wildly at the door. "And I-" Her face fell. "Double scoop... I just wanted a root beer float!" She wiggled the chilly mug in front of his face.

Caleb wiped a hand over her babbling face, the movement startling Sheila into silence. "Relax..." He whispered. "It's over..."

"I-" She clapped her mouth shut, suddenly at a loss for words. "Thank you..." She sighed.

He threw her a dazzling smile, causing Sheila to _almost _lose her panties, and rubbed his knuckles over her cheek. "No problem." He let his hand drop and Sheila frowned in disappointment. He drummed his fingers thoughtfully together. "Now we must talk payment for my chivalrous act..."

Sheila folded her arms across her chest, thrusting her breasts (much to Caleb's liking) out with a snort. _'Payment?' _She thought. _'Yeah right...' _Sheila opened her mouth to reprimand him, but before she got a syllable out, she felt a hard tapping on her shoulder. She turned towards the person and was quickly doused with a cold substance.

She cried out in surprise and dropped the mug she was holding, not even stepping back as it shattered noisily to the floor. Sheila looked down, watching as the strawberry milkshake Keira had thrown on her dripped down her Argyle sweater. Out of the corner of her eye she could see that Caleb had caught the last dribble of it, his expression just as surprised as hers.

"What the hell is your problem?!" Sheila yelled, wiping her hands down her front, trying desperately to rid her clothes of the shake before it soaked completely through to her skin.

"That-" Keira dropped the empty milkshake cup at Sheila's feet. "-was for my nose."

Sheila blinked back the oncoming tears, disbelief and anger causing her to shake. She clenched her skirt in her fists, fighting for control over her Powers, as her eyes flashed maliciously.

Keira smirked and it took all of Sheila's remaining restraint to not slap the smile right off the girl's face.

"Payback's a bitch..." Keira said in a sing song voice.

"No-" Sheila stepped forward and Caleb reached for her a second too late. The Sons watched on in concern, Kate and Chase in amusement, as she walked right up to Keira, her button nose pressed dangerously close to Keira's broken one. She cocked her right arm back (much like she did that night in the cafeteria), strawberry milkshake dripping from her sleeve. "-you're the _bitch_, Keira."

She brought her fist swiftly forward, stopping it a mere inch from the other girl's face. A scream erupted from Keira as she flinched violently away. Sheila's insides squirmed with delight as she watched Keira cower a few steps back.

"And you know something else?"

Sheila ran a hand over the front of her sweater, making sure she got some decent sized strawberry chunks, along with milkshake, on her hand. She reached out and placed her whole palm flat against Keira's startled face, giving her head a little push as she did so, hearing the satisfying squelch of Keira's still broken nose. Keira cried out in pain. She leaned forward and spoke only loud enough for the trembling girl before her to hear.

"You're not even worth it..."

Sheila's voice shook and, as she turned away from the bushy haired girl (now complete with a pink palm print on her snobby face), she tried desperately to hide her tears with her hand as she walked passed Caleb and the rest of the group. She exited the parlor without so much as a backward glance.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sheila, wait!"

Sheila didn't stop as the voice called helplessly after her. She's had a hell of a day and Caleb's pity was not something she wanted to add to her shit list...

She quickened her pace and heard his shoes pounding the pavement as he ran to catch up.

"Would you just wait a second!"

Sheila abruptly stopped walking and Caleb almost crashed into her. She didn't turn to look at him, wiping hopelessly at her face, not wanting him to see her so upset, but the tears just kept coming. He came around to face her and she stared at a crack in the sidewalk, her foot tapping the cement impatiently, not meeting his concerned gaze.

They stayed that way, silent (aside from her occasional sniffle) for a long while before he spoke up.

"If those aren't tears of happiness, please stop crying..."

Sheila snickered. "I can't help it... I'm just so..." She shook her head, frustrated. She took a deep, shaky breath. "Today is just not my day..."

"Is it because of Keira?"

She finally looked at him. "No." He gave her a skeptical look and she shrugged. "Okay... maybe a little... But it's not just that..."

"Then what?"

She shook her head again, this time a bit firmer. "I don't want to talk about it..."

"Is it because of what I did to you in the parlor? You know, saying that I was taking you to the dance..." He trailed off, raising a hand to rub lightly over his neck. The action reminded Sheila of his tongue on her skin. Warm... Exciting... "And all that..."

Sheila let out a nervous laugh, although he was right, and brushed roughly passed him. "And I certainly don't want to talk about _that_...!" She descended the sidewalk and stepped out into the street, her eyes downcast.

She didn't bother looking both ways and gasped, hearing the car horn a moment too late. She was frozen on the spot, not breathing, the car barreling towards her. She cried out, feeling a large hand grab the back of her sweater and yanking her (literally off of her feet) from the path of the moving vehicle.

The driver shouted some obscenities as he passed, the words lost on unheard ears as Sheila held her head in her hands, dizzy. Muscular arms were wrapped around her, tight so she didn't fall, and the spicy musk of Caleb's jacket send her head into further vertigo.

His breath was harsh against her ear and she gulped back a sob, struggling against his hold.

"Let me go, Caleb!" She drove her elbows into his sides and Caleb let out a grunt, his hold on her constricting.

"What is the matter with you?!" He spun her fiercely around, cupping her head in his hands. She didn't meet his gaze, feeling his anger and annoyance coming off of him in gales. "Are you trying to get yourself run over?!" He gave her head a light shake.

Sheila gritted her teeth. "It wouldn't be the first time." Her eyes flashed and she heard Caleb gasp as he was bombarded with images of her lying on the side of the road that day her father died.

_He saw a blue bumper._

_Saw her arm snap under the rear tire of the vehicle._

_She cried out, then stood, clutching the broken limb to her body_.

He abruptly let go of her, rougher than he meant to. _'Oh my God... That was her...?!' _Caleb looked at his hands, wide eyed, as if they held all the answers to his ever forming questions. He shook his head and she let out a soft 'Oh' as she stumbled a bit before he caught her in his arms once more.

"Caleb, I really don't want to do this right now, okay?" Her voice was soft, but he could hear the faint hint of a threat behind her words. "Please, can I just go?"

He shook his head, holding her upper arms firmly. "Not until you tell me what's wrong." His eyes lost all intensity when he saw her face crumble into fresh sobs. He quietly pulled her close, not minding the fact that the milkshake would probably stain his shirt permanently, and rubbed her back in an effort to comfort her, her arms coming up to wrap tentatively around his waist. He didn't like seeing her cry like this and wished desperately that he could take all her anguish into himself.

'_I want to be that thing that makes her happy...' _Caleb closed his eyes. _'Whoa... Where did that come from...?...' _He didn't have time to contemplate his new found feelings, however, hearing her voice escape the confines of his jacket.

"Everything..." The word was muffled against his chest.

He leaned down, cocking his head to one side. "What?"

"Everything." She pulled back a bit to look at him, her face red and puffy. Sheila was full on bawling now, teardrops as big as beach balls rolling down her face as she continued her rant. "My father, he was rich you know,-" She licked some tears from her lips. "-and today, I get my share of the estate and you know what he left me?" Caleb looked at her silently. "Nothing! Absolutely nothing. The son of a bitch... Then there's Chase." Caleb didn't even want to begin to contemplate as to who Chase was. "And Aaron..." She drew in a deep, shaky breath. "Keira." She spat out the last name, her nose wrinkling in mild disgust. She brought her gaze up to meet his, the tears in her eyes looking like ocean waves when set against the backdrop of her navy irises. "You..."

Caleb could do nothing but hug her, shushing her until her weeping weakened, afraid of what he might do or say in response to her last word.

"Everything's just so..." She wrapped her hands around an invisible object and shook it, like she was choking it. "...fucked up..." She whispered. "Why are people so mean to me, Caleb? I don't understand..." She turned doleful eyes to him. " I'm a good person, right?..."

He looked down at her, frowning. Her eyes were closed now and she looked ready to burst into tears again, her lower lip trembling slightly.

"People fear the things that they don't understand and most of the time, they lash out, usually with anger." She nodded and unconsciously burrowed herself further into his hard chest, her arms squeezing at his waist, the movement making Caleb smile. "And yes, you are a good person and I wish-" He paused. "I wish people could see how wonderful you really are..."

They stayed that way for a beat longer, no one saying anything, reveling in the silence her confessions made. Finally, she pulled away from him, sniffling, her face flushed with crying and slight embarrassment. Realizing her sweater was sticking to his shirt, she laughed, peeling one garment from the other slowly.

Caleb smiled at the tiny change in her mood. He knew she was still upset, but it was still nice to see her laugh. "See,-" He ran the pad of his thumb over her moist cheek. "-I knew there was a smile in there somewhere."

"Yeah..." Sheila rubbed her forehead and looked at him from under her lashes, her deep blue eyes assessing him gently. The look was smoldering and it literally took Caleb's breath away. "But only because it's you, Caleb..." She gave him a half smile and Caleb blushed, loving the way his name rolled off of her tongue. _'Oh the possibilities...' _He thought.

She gestured between the two of them. "I'm sorry about your shirt."

He shook his head. "Don't be." A pause. "You going to be okay?"

She bit her bottom lip, nodding. "I think so..."

"Good. Come on." He took her hand in his and (after looking both ways) swiftly crossed the street towards his Mustang. He went around to the back of it and popped open his trunk. After a few minutes of rummaging, he pulled out a huge black, athletic bag and unzipping it, produced a clean button up shirt in his hands. He held it out to her.

"Here. Put this on."

She pointed at the shirt he was wearing. "What about you?"

Caleb shook his head, placing the shirt in her hand, before taking a seat leisurely on his bumper. "Don't worry about me." He shrugged. "I'll be alright..."

Sheila didn't know how to explain it, but when he said that she saw something crawl briefly over his eyes. _'Damn those eyes...' _She sighed. They betrayed everything that he was thinking, showing every single emotion that he felt, whether good or bad, making himself vulnerable to the world.

Just like she making herself vulnerable to him right now... And it didn't help the fact that she was actually starting to _like _the guy...

'_Yeah, but who can blame me?...'_

Sheila looked down at the shirt in her hands, then up at him, where he was perched precariously on the edge of his bumper, hands in his jeans pockets, watching her with vital curiosity.

He made a shooing motion with his head. "Go on."

Her body sank slightly in defeat, not wanting to argue. "Fine." She mumbled, slinging his shirt over a taillight as she moved her fingers beneath the bottom of her sweater. She had it halfway lifted up before she paused, wiggling the garment a bit this way, a bit that, trying hopelessly to remove it without getting milkshake on her still clean face.

Sheila dropped her hands and the sweater with a low whimper. Caleb watched, a smile trying deftly to escape across his face.

He leaned forward a bit, grabbing the ends of her fingers. "Come here..." He didn't try to hide the laughter in his voice.

She shuffled over to him, a pout on her face. He didn't stand to meet her (because sitting he was eye level to her anyway), so she dragged her fatigued body almost flush to his, standing warily between his legs as he locked eyes with hers, his fingers reaching out and skimming her stomach beneath the edge of her sweater.

Without breaking eye contact, he slowly immersed his hands under the folds of her Argyle, her camisole beneath was warm and soft from her body. His hands slowly spanned the width of her stomach, his thumbs stayed below her belly button, the rest of his fingers working their way across her sides and to her back.

Sheila stood absolutely still, her breathing altogether stopped while at the same moment, her heart pounded furiously against her ribcage. His hands took the sweater prisoner as they moved easily upward, skittering gently over her skin.

She lifted her arms and as his fingers reached her shoulders, his thumbs were lingering pleasantly over her breasts, the pads of his thumbs unknowingly making contact with her erect nipples.

Even through the fabric of her bra and undershirt, she could feel the electric shock of his touch... That same shock her succubus loved to tease males with...

She bit her bottom lip, fighting the urge to place her hands over his and keep them there on her breasts. Caleb watched her reaction to his touch with rapt fascination. He'd never had a girl respond so naturally to his every touch, every word.

He finally, after many agonizing seconds filled with sexual tension, got the sweater up and over her head. He threw it unceremoniously into his trunk, where it landed somewhere near the back with a squelch. Sheila shivered.

"Are you cold?" He leaned across the trunk, reaching for his shirt.

"No..." And it was the truth. She wasn't cold. _She, _not the succubus, felt that spark. The same one she felt with that boy in the woods and it rocked her to her very core.

She wondered if Caleb felt it too... If he did, he showed no signs of it. She thought it better not to dwell on it at the moment. She didn't want to add to her confusion.

He ushered her forward silently as he slipped the button up around her, the material warm despite the cold. It was definitely too many sizes too big and Caleb playfully poked her in the stomach as he rolled up a sleeve.

"You should eat more."

"Wouldn't matter, I'm one of those chosen few that can eat whatever they want and not gain a pound."

Caleb rolled up the other sleeve. "Lucky you..."

Sheila shook her head. "Nah..." She turned slightly to the side and poked out her bottom. "I don't have an ass so I have the hardest time trying to find a pair of jeans that are below a size 5... Definitely major suckage there..." He smiled and she fully returned it.

"Who said you need an ass?" He buttoned up the shirt, tying the ends of it together in a loose knot. "You're still beautiful..."

Sheila blinked. No one, except her father, has ever called her beautiful and the blush that betrayed her thoughts told Caleb that exact thing. She could find no words to respond with...

"Do you want to go back inside?"

She looked across the street at the ice cream parlor. She could see Kate and everybody through the window, laughing as if nothing had happened.

She shook her head. "No. I think I've had enough dairy products for a while..."

They walked side by side to her car, their hands swinging precariously close to one another's, their knuckles brushing occasionally.

They stood beside her driver's side door, Sheila jingling her keys in her hand nervously. "Well... Thank you..."

She shrugged at her lame good-bye, tucking strands of hair behind her ear. Caleb reached up, following her hand with his, where it came to rest against the delicate column of her neck. His thumb rubbed sensuously over her bottom lip and Sheila opened her mouth slightly with a sigh.

Caleb licked his lips, contemplating, her dark blue eyes watching him and waiting.

'_Okay, just relax, Sheila. If he kisses you, so what? It's just your first kiss and all, but that's no reason to freak out...!...'_

Her thought made him falter in his movements as he purposely leaned towards her in small, deliberate increments. There was only the barest air of space between them, her breathing coming in small pants now. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his massive frame in a hug, closing the gap between their needy bodies.

Sheila swallowed, becoming lost in his golden gaze, his eyes defiant, yet soft. He leaned further in, his nose rubbing against her jaw line, his smile small, questioning.

Caleb wasn't sure why he wanted to do this so bad. Hormones? No, he knew it was something deeper than that. Girls (well people in general) like her didn't come into his life too often and he was determined to hold on to this good feeling for as long as possible. Plus, he couldn't help it... She truly was beautiful...

But he did know that if he completed this action, things would forever be changed. He would take her kiss virginity away and shatter the innocence that her body language always goes defiantly against.

"Are you going to be okay?" He asked, his tongue flicking out to catch her earlobe.

Her voice box had officially left her and all Sheila could do was nod with a sigh, her eyes fluttering closed. She ran her hands the length of his back, pulling him closer, sheltering herself in the warmth of his coat and body.

And then to both of their surprises, Caleb turned his head from her ear and softly touched his lips to hers, as if testing the feel and her reaction. After a moment or two, she still hadn't pushed him violently away and run screaming down the sidewalk, so he pressed further still until their mouths had joined evenly...

**A/N: **Longest chapter thus far and definitely took the longest to write! It was harder to write then the last one, but please forgive me by reviewing!!! Questions/comments... doesn't matter... I love 'em all! Thanks you guys!!!


	16. A Spot of Change

**A/N: **Here you go! Enjoy!

**CHAPTER 16:**

**A Spot of Change**

His lips were gentle against hers, Sheila's head swimming at the contact. She didn't move, clueless as to what to do.

Where should she put her hands?

Should she open her mouth?

She grabbed a handful of his shirt, determined to push all negative thoughts from her mind and just naturally go with it, even if it led to disaster...

Sheila opened her mouth with a sigh. "Caleb...?"

His name was a question, not an invitation and as the guilt quickly washed over him, Caleb stepped back, leaving the comfort of her body. Which was a good thing because his pants were about to burst into flames...

There, he did it. He made the first move and he didn't know why, but he felt some kind of selfish satisfaction at being her first kiss.

She turned questioning eyes to his, her eyebrows furrowed, a tentative hand raised to her lips. He gave her a small smile and took her hands in his, giving her knuckles a light kiss.

"Will you call me later?" His voice sounded hopeful.

Sheila smiled. "You're just trying to get my phone number..." She poked him playfully in the chest and opened her car door, taking a seat behind the wheel.

"I hope you feel better..." He closed the door behind her.

Sheila nodded, her emotions fighting for understanding. She didn't want to reject Caleb. She liked him, but had a feeling that he liked her more... She wasn't ready for that, not yet, she wanted to get to know him better. Take it slow...

Besides, the succubus probably had a lot to do with his attraction to her anyway...

She started her car and rolled down the window as she slowly pulled onto the main street, leaving Caleb cold and alone on the sidewalk. She stuck her head out the window, calling out. "I'll call you, okay?"

She never did.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sheila let the hot water steam and pool around her as tiny rivers of purified Spenser water ran slowly down her tired body. She closed her eyes against the onslaught, leaning her forehead on the cool tile beneath the shower head.

She sighed. Her thoughts were a blur, but the most consistent one was of the dark haired Danvers boy.

Sheila wasn't stupid. She was, after all, a 17-year old girl and she did room with the school's biggest mouth. She knew that look Caleb gave her. She saw it in every male that she came across, heterosexual or not. It was lust. Need. Desire.

She ran a hand across her face, rubbing her eyes, exhausted.

But with Caleb, his gaze was somehow different... It was softer... Understanding... Trusting... And dare she say it, caring...

Sheila shook her head. _'No.' _She turned off the water, stepping out of the shower as she wrapped a fluffy towel around her dripping form. _'He's just like all the other ones... Only after one thing...' _She took a deep breath, a tinge of disappointment at the edges of her mouth. _'He wants the succubus, not me...' _

She walked quietly back to her dorm room , her haunting thoughts the only thing keeping her company in the empty hallway.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sheila closed the door to her dorm room behind her with a soft 'click' and nearly tripped over the box the Provost gave her earlier that day. She kicked it under her desk with a growl.

"Sheila? Is that you?" Kate's voice wafted from behind the closed door of their private bathroom.

Sheila could hear her rummaging around as she answered. "Yeah, it's me." She quickly dropped her soaked towel on the floor where it landed next to Caleb's discarded shirt and put on her night clothes. A soft crash sounding like glass against the sink made her step closer to the bathroom, her feet padding across the expanse of the somewhat large room. She knocked on the door. "You okay in there?"

"Yeah. I'm just trying on my dress." More rummaging. "Damn, I think this thing shrank a little since I bought it."

"It's not the dress, it's all that ice cream you ate today..." Sheila mumbled, moving away from the bathroom door and plopped stomach down onto her still rumpled bed.

"What?"

Sheila laughed. "Nothing..." She picked up a magazine and flipped through it, her eyes not really looking. She just needed something to distract her from her thoughts of Caleb and the kiss... "Can I see it?"

"Nope, it's going to be a surprise. You'll just have to wait until next Saturday like everyone else."

Sheila poked out her bottom lip. "But I'm your best friend..." She fake whined.

Kate stepped out of the bathroom, pulling a tank top on. "That's beside the point." She walked over to their oval vanity mirror and started brushing her hair. "People should learn to be more tolerant."

Sheila threw the magazine onto the floor. "Pff... Tolerate this, bitch..."

THUD

Kate gasped, dropping her brush and turned to see one of Sheila's pillows lying at her feet, Sheila kneeling on her bed, laughing.

"Hey now, that wasn't necessary..." Kate threw the pillow back, hitting Sheila in the face. "Whore."

Sheila gaped at her, then got up, pillow in hand. "That's it..."

Kate looked at her, then rushed over to her bed, snatching one of her pillows. "Bring it on!"

WHACK

Kate got Sheila in the stomach. Sheila doubled over, coughing, but quickly retaliated by getting Kate's legs, then her butt. Kate stumbled forward, dropping her pillow.

"Hey!" She abruptly seized the pillow Sheila was holding and used it against her friend.

It was Sheila's turn to yell 'Hey!' as she tried to capture the pillow back. Kate hit her again, the seam that was slowly unraveling at one corner of the pillow finally ripping, down feathers and cotton bursting from within, turning the dorm room into a real life snow globe.

Sheila's jaw dropped. "Kate!" She stole some of the falling feathers from the air and threw them at her roommate. "That was my best pillow!"

Kate held out the pillow, half like a shield and half like a peace offering, her bottom lip protruding out. "Well, now you have a sack to put stuff in."

Sheila smiled, taking the empty casing from her. "If I wanted a sack to lug around, I'd just go and bother Caleb."

"Is that who gave you that hickey?"

Sheila paused, her back to Kate. "What?" She quickly strode over to the vanity, her destroyed pillow forgotten.

Kate grinned, wiggling herself underneath the covers on her bed. "You heard me." She said, picking up the magazine Sheila was flipping through earlier. "You have a hickey."

Sheila pulled the collar of her shirt away from her neck, leaning in close to inspect her reflection. "I do not."

"Other side, genius."

Sheila glared at Kate through the reflection, then pulled the garment from the right side of her neck. She gasped. "I don't believe this..."

Kate let out a tiny laugh. "You said you wanted someone to suck on your neck..."

"Yeah, but because they wanted to, not because they had to show up some chump at an ice cream parlor!" She touched the discolored spot gingerly with her fingertips. "This sucks..."

"No." Kate paused to take a deep breath, she was laughing so hard. "Caleb is the one that sucks!" She clutched at her chest, pointing a French tipped finger at her friend. "And when you fondled him..." She trailed off. "Classic!"

Sheila whole body reddened in a deep blush. "You saw that?"

Kate nodded. "_Everybody _saw it, but I'm sure Caleb didn't mind..."

'_Caleb...' _Sheila's mouth twitched at the memory. She sighed. "Not funny... It was an accident. I was reaching for his belt buckle, I swear."

Kate threw her a skeptical look. "Right..."

Sheila stepped away from the mirror and, after sweeping the feathers from her bedspread that she vowed she would clean up tomorrow, she wormed her way into bed.

"I didn't even realize he was sucking that hard..."

Kate had finally stopped laughing, her mind wandering to images of her boyfriend and her own acquired love bite. "Because it felt good, that's why..."

Sheila nodded her agreement, allowing herself a small smile although Kate didn't see it, and rolled onto her back. Both girls grew quiet, lost in their own thoughts.

A beat passed before Sheila cleared her throat, her voice soft. "He kissed me today..."

Kate's eyes widened. "Caleb?"

"Yeah."

Kate was astonished. Caleb rarely talked to girls, let alone hooked up with them... "When?"

"Outside. After Keira threw that shake on me." Sheila shifted listlessly in her bed and propped herself up on her elbow, her head resting unenthusiastically on her open palm.

Kate mouthed a silent 'Wow'. "How was it?"

Sheila shrugged. "It ended quicker than it started..."

"But _he_ kissed _you_, right?"

"Yeah..." Sheila's eyes glazed over, a smile spreading unknowingly across her features, thoughts of Caleb dancing a hateful taunt in her mind. She thought of the way his body felt so warm, fit so perfectly into hers. The way his lips moved as he spoke comforting words to her. The way his lips felt on hers... That warm, dark desire she tried to abolish as he sucked gently on her neck, the succubus stirring, excited, within her...

"Hello?! Sheila?"

Sheila blinked. "Hmm?"

Kate let out a frustrated sigh. "I asked you if you found a dress for the dance yet."

Sheila shook her head, not even realizing that the subject had been changed. "No. Not yet."

Kate shrugged, turning off her bedside lamp, bathing her in shadows. "At least you have a date."

"Well, I didn't really have a choice, did I?" Sheila clicked off her own lamp and fell back onto her pillows with a tiny huff. "It was either go along with Caleb's story or go with Aaron..."

"Hey, look on the bright side." Sheila could hear the faint hint of a laugh in Kate's voice. "If Aaron tries to take you captive again and Caleb comes to your rescue, you're guaranteed some neck action..."

Sheila picked up one of her pillows and threw it across the room, letting out a satisfied 'Ha!' as she heard it hit its mark, Kate's tiny grunt drowned out by Sheila's laughter.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sheila slept, occasionally tossing and turning in her small twin sized bed. Her pink and gold sheets were snaking around her inert form as if holding her back... Or protecting her from something... The sheer, princess canopy that hung from the ceiling enveloped the bed, stifling the quick, short breaths of its sleeper. Through the fabric of the canopy, the moon snuck in, its pale, yellow light glistening on the sweat of her brow.

Sheila turned towards the window, the moonlight now falling directly over her closed eyes, casting the rest of her face into exiled shadows. The only sounds that could be heard in the dorm room were her whimpers as she dreamed and Kate's soft snoring from across the room.

"_CALEB, I HAVE TO DO IT OR ELSE WE'LL BOTH DIE!"_

"_NO, SHEILA! NO, YOU CAN'T!"_

Sheila's hands gripped the sheets beneath her, twisting them into unrecognizable knots. She let out a choked sob, the dream intensifying.

"_I HAVE TO! I'M THE LADY! THERE'S NO OTHER CHOICE!"_

"_THERE HAS TO BE A WAY AROUND IT! I WILL NOT LOSE YOU TO HIM!"_

_SHEILA GRIPPED THE CRYING BOY'S HANDS TIGHTLY IN HERS. "CALEB?" SHE WHISPERED. "LOOK AT ME." HE DID, WATCHING HER EYES BLACKEN WITH POWER. "DO YOU TRUST ME?"_

_HIS TEARS WERE FALLING FASTER NOW AND HE TURNED AWAY FROM HER. HE SHOOK HIS HEAD IN A VIGOROUS MOTION, HIS SILENT ANSWER CAUSING FURY TO BUBBLE INSIDE HER._

"_CALEB!" SHE SHOUTED. "YES OR NO?"_

"_YES." HIS VOICE WAS SHAKY AND HE DID NOT MEET HER GAZE. "DO IT NOW. HURRY, BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND..."_

_RELIEF SPREAD OVER SHEILA'S FEATURES, THE FLAMES SURROUNDING THEM LICKING AT HER LONG GOWN. SHE REACHED OUT AND TOOK CALEB'S FACE IN HER HANDS. "I WILL COME BACK FOR YOU..." SHE KISSED HIM_, _BRIEF AND SUDDEN, THEN STEPPED AN ARM'S LENGTH AWAY FROM HIM._

"_YOU READY?" SHE LOOKED UP AT HIM, TEARS ROLLING DOWN HER FACE. HE CLOSED HIS EYES, HIS BREATHING SHALLOW, AND AFTER ONE MORE BRIEF HESITATION, CALEB NODDED._

_SHEILA LICKED HER LIPS. "I-" SHE BEGAN, HER VOICE SOFT AND AFRAID. "-WILL YOU-"_

_CALEB GRIPPED HER HAND HARDER, THE ANTICIPATION OF THE ONSLAUGHT OF MAGIC CAUSING HIS ENTIRE BODY TO SHAKE._

_SHEILA PAUSED, SQUEEZING HIS HAND WITH LOVE AND REASSURANCE. "-MY POWER..."_

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ _

Sheila woke up screaming. She attempted to take a deep breath, but found that she wasn't breathing at all.

'_Oh my God! I'm dead!'_

Sheila scanned her surroundings. Her vision was blurred and her eyes were stinging. There was a slight pressure on her head and she couldn't hear anything except her own heartbeat.

'_No, not dead... Underwater...' _

She looked up and could see the pale glow of florescent lights streaming through the clear water. Swiftly, yet cautiously, she swam to the top, her head finally breaking the surface. She took in several deep breaths, then looked around her.

"The school's indoor pool..." She said, causing some water to enter her mouth. She gagged, spitting out the chlorine treated water.

She groaned, her muscles aching as she slowly swam the length of the pool, towards a sign marked 'Exit'. Sheila hesitated before getting out.

She floated silently at the back corner of the deep end, her mind eventually wandering back to the dream. She remembered it so vividly, like she was really in it. Obviously they were being threatened, the unknown person or thing never making an appearance.

In the dream, they were both scared witless and for some reason, she had Willed her Powers to Caleb.

But why?

Or better question, how did he know about her Powers in the first place...?

She could only contemplate the thought for a split second when the Exit door was thrown open and pulled shut with a bang. Sheila flinched at the loud noise, her concentrated float breaking a bit, causing her head to drop a few inches underwater.

She pulled herself surface level again, slowing her movements to a near stillness as she listened intently to the conversation happening directly above her.

"Reid, it's 3 in the morning. Do we really need to practice right _now?"_ The voice was male and it sounded very exhausted.

Sheila pushed herself against the slimy pool wall, her hands like suction cups as she steadied her breathing. Okay, so one of them was Reid. She wasn't surprised... He was, after all, Spenser's resident troublemaker.

She pressed herself further into the wall and lowered her head underwater a bit when she heard their bare feet slapping a path around the cement pool directly above her head and towards the boy's locker room.

"This isn't about swim practice..." Another male voice. It was a low, playful growl. Definitely Reid. "This is about something much more fun, Baby Boy..."

The voices and footsteps faded away and Sheila let out the breath she was holding.

She didn't even want to begin to contemplate who this "Baby Boy" was with Reid or what they were doing at the pool at 3 AM...

She pulled herself unsteadily out of the water, her night clothes weighing her down. She flopped onto the solid tile surrounding the pool, catching her breath. She shivered in the cold, closing her eyes so the excess water couldn't get into them... Or so the tears couldn't escape...

Sheila shook her head. "What does it all mean?" She let out a small sob. "Why do I keep having these dreams...?"

She rolled onto her side, coughing out the remainder of the pool water from her lungs, then stood up on shaky legs. She put a hand to her forehead, a splitting headache throbbing against the back of her eyes, and, avoiding the boy's locker room at all costs, she slowly snuck out, the metal 'Exit' door clanging quietly behind her.

**A/N: **In case you haven't already figured it out, the dream is the little bit in caps and italics. I didn't want you guys to get confused with what was actually happening to Sheila in real life (which is written in regular script). Please review!


	17. Suck My Kiss

**A/N: **Yes, I know, my children, it has been a LONG while since I've updated. This was one of those filler chapters and it took me some time before I actually got it tweaked to my liking and it is most definitely longer than I planned on it being.

**CHAPTER 17:**

**Suck My Kiss**

The first day of school finally came and went, filled with nothing but boring speeches from teachers as they read from the student handbook (dress code, weather safety, etc, blah, blah...) and much filling out of student information and emergency contact sheets.

No homework was assigned, but it was something Sheila would've preferred rather than sit through yet another lecture about how the seniors were to set an example for the underclassmen by not doing a senior prank (and Sheila noticed more than one of her teachers throw a pointed look to Reid who sat near the back of three of her classes, his face solemn, yet his eyes dancing with mischief), showing respect to the proper authorities and the correct way to behave at sporting events and dances.

Yawn. All stuff they already knew. Boring...

The following Wednesday morning dawned with rain clouds in the sky. Sheila dressed in her school uniform quickly and raced to the dining hall, where she found Kate, Chase, and the Sons already sitting

She took a seat silently next to Kate, who's face was currently hidden behind a thick SAT prep book, Tyler sat on the other side of her friend, reading along.

Pogue looked at his girlfriend, then shook his head.

"It's never too early to start, baby." Kate said, slipping her orange juice under the book, taking a thoughtful sip, her eyes never leaving the page.

Pogue looked taken aback. "I didn't say anything."

Kate rolled her eyes behind the book. Tyler leaned closer for a better look.

Pogue mimicked his girlfriend's action by rolling his eyes and grinned, hooking a thumb in Kate's direction. "Those two, I swear. They're like twins..."

Sheila smiled, her silent demeanor a cold reaction to the boy sitting across from her. Caleb was equally as quiet, if not more so, as he chewed thoughtfully on his french toast, syrup dripping in heavy globs onto his tray. She wondered what was going through his mind at this very moment and secretly hoped his thoughts were lingering on her...

Sheila sighed, then stood, slinging her messenger bag across her chest.

Kate put her book down, causing a tiny protest to escape from Tyler. "Sheila?" She turned wide eyes on her friend, noticing her presence at the table for the first time. "When did you get here?"

Sheila shrugged. "Like five minutes ago."

"And you're leaving already?"

"Yeah, I want to get to Biology early." She picked invisible lint from the hem of her navy blue jacket, not meeting the inquiring eyes of the table. "We're picking lab partners today. I want to snag me a smart one." She shifted the bag at her waist, looking at Reid, who was in the same class. "Are you coming, Reid?"

Reid shook his head, glancing at his watch.

"Are you kidding me?" Sheila briefly closed her eyes with a small sigh. That voice. _'That damn voice... so deep... so soft...' _It was Caleb. His head was cocked to the side a bit, his fingers tapping a familiar rhythm on the tabletop as he looked at her. "Reid hasn't been early to class since preschool."

She gave Caleb a tiny smile (but only because it was the first time he had said a word to her since he kissed her and she was extremely relieved although her facial expression did not betray her) and nodded. "Oh..." They stared at each for a long moment, her breath catching as she became lost in his eyes... his hair... his mouth... that kiss... Sheila ran her tongue the length of her bottom lip, breaking the eye war (or whatever it was) between them and turned to leave.

"Wait." Kate this time. "Aren't you going to eat anything?" She hoped Sheila couldn't detect the concern in her voice. Kate was worried about her.

She heard her dreaming (or nightmaring?) again last night, the whimpers and muffled cries for help echoing in the small dorm room. She had gone to her friend's bedside, lovingly stroking her arm and hair in an effort to calm her.

It had been the same ordeal for the past 3 or 4 nights, the outcome always the same. At exactly 2:08 AM, Sheila would grow quiet, the nightmare seemingly over, and then, in a voice barely above a whisper, she would say "I Will you my..." and then fall into a silent slumber.

I Will you my what is what Kate wanted to know. The first night it happened, Kate was awoken to the sound of Sheila crying, but when she turned over to face her friend's bed, the occupant was gone and Kate figured she must've gone for a walk or something.

Sheila smiled at her friend. So caring. Like a mother. "Of course." She snatched the powdered doughnut Pogue had halfway to his mouth from his hand and bit into it, sugar sprinkling down the front of her uniform. Pogue sat in surprise, his mouth still open, hand still suspended in midair. He blinked and she smiled. "See, problem solved." She threw a wave over her shoulder. "See you guys at lunch."

Caleb watched her go, gripping the sides of his plastic cafeteria chair, resisting the terrible urge to run after her... again. The last time he had done that ended in awkward disaster because of the kiss and silent embarrassment because she never called him afterward to tell him she was okay.

'_Maybe she's not "okay", Caleb.'_ Caleb sighed, running a hand through his fluffy, dark hair. Yup, he fucked up... He fucked up BIG...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The day had gone by quickly. Lunch was a quiet hour in an otherwise chaotic atmosphere. Sheila sat, lost in her own thoughts, half listening to the constant jabber of Kate as she poked her food around her tray with a fork.

Biology had gone surprisingly well. Dr. Rivard didn't actually let them pick their partners, instead he did it in alphabetical order so Sheila ended up getting Reid anyway.

"Meet me in my dorm around 4, okay?" Reid had told her after first period. "We'll discuss a game plan for our upcoming project." She agreed.

Sheila glanced at her watch with a sigh. School had let out almost an hour ago and she still had about fifteen minutes to kill before she met up with Reid. She soon found herself weaving through the long aisles of the library, tall shelves full of dusty books towering over her from both sides.

She was emerging from a particularly treacherous aisle near the center of the library, where all the card catalogs and private sitting areas were, when she spotted him. He had his jacket off and, as he hunched over the keyboard of a network computer, typing furiously, the muscles in his shoulders bulged, straining against the confines of his pressed Oxford.

Sheila swallowed. _'Oh my... The boy would have to have the body of a god, wouldn't he...?' _He paused in whatever he was working on and sat back, lacing his fingers behind his head. Sheila suddenly found herself walking towards him. He didn't hear her approach and she realized with much relief that he had headphones on.

She could've (no, should've) turned away at that exact moment, but something stopped her. A noise. A faint hum of an unheard song coming from the boy sitting in front of her.

He was singing and his voice was, well, beautiful, a sweet baritone thrum to her ears.

Sheila grinned, intrigued, and leaned down, reaching up and pulling away the earpiece of the headphone from his ear.

"Hello."

Caleb jumped, banging his knees on the underside of the small desk, and let out a curse. He turned, rubbing his injury, his face set to malice, ready to murder whoever it was that just scared the shit out of him. He saw Sheila standing there and relaxed when she waved.

He cleared his throat. "Hey yourself."

"What are you listening to?" He furrowed his eyebrows, her question falling on his muffled ears. She tapped his headphones and he mouthed an 'Oh', slipping the device off and handing it to her.

"The Red Hot Chili Peppers."

Sheila lifted a pristine eyebrow, taking the headphones from him and placing them over her ears. She let out a tiny giggle, closing her eyes, as if some unseen memory shocked her out of reality. She started swaying her hips, a silly grin plastered on her lips as Caleb watched her body move with smiling fascination.

She opened her mouth and began to sing. "Oh, hit me, you can't hurt me!" She did a pelvic thrust. "Ugh, suck my kiss!"

Caleb laughed as she twirled, then bowed when she was facing him again. She peeled off the headphones and handed them back to him, swiping fallen strands of hair from her face.

He looked at her, astonished. She was out of breath, but was smiling at him and Caleb felt himself returning it. There was a moment of silence. Not wanting the ice that was just broken between them by her silly antics to freeze back over, he pulled out a chair next to him and motioned for her to sit. She gratefully did, fanning herself lazily with a notebook she had been holding.

More silence as they sat and looked each other over.

"What are you doing here?"

Sheila shrugged. "Just killing time."

"Do you always sing in the library?"

"Do you?" She grinned as she threw the question back in his face.

"Only after school. On weekends, I book gigs in the cafeteria." He let out a nervous laugh at his stupid joke.

His eyes widened with her smile as she flipped her hair over her shoulder and he noticed her hickey.

Caleb cleared his throat. "So, uh, you got a boyfriend hiding somewhere?" Sheila shook her head, confused by the bizarre question. He pointed at her neck and she let out a breath.

"Oh, no." She pulled her starched collar from her neck, the lights above giving Caleb a better view. "I have you to thank for that..."

"Oh." He leaned back in his chair again, biting his bottom lip. "From the ice cream parlor, huh?"

Sheila turned away, sheepish.

"Look, I'm sorry about that... I just..." His voice trailed off and he rubbed his hands nervously over his khaki clad thighs. He let out a huff. "Ah shit, I don't know what the hell I was thinking..." He looked at her from under his ebony eyelashes cautiously. She was turned away from him, her profile showing no emotion, but he knew she was hanging off his every word with rapt intensity. "I just know that I had to get you away from him. I couldn't let Aaron touch you like that."

"And what gave you the right to do so?"

He shrugged. "I don't know."

She quirked an eyebrow. "You don't know?"

"No." He sighed, defeated. "It just felt right, okay?" He leaned further into his chair. "Sheila, look at me..." His softened plea surprised her and she looked at him without hesitation, her curiosity and secret lust for him getting the better of her. "I'm sorry if what I did inside the parlor and out on the sidewalk made you feel uncomfortable. I had no right to do it and honestly I don't know why I did. But I do know one thing and that is that I'm not sorry that I kissed you. I wanted to do that the moment you stepped out of your Mustang and it's something I'll be damned to hell for before I ever regret it."

Sheila was, to say the least, floored by his bold confession. It was as if it had taken her ability of speech away. She sat, fish facing it across from him, her mouth opening and closing several times. "I, uh..." She threw her hands up, letting out an uneasy laugh. "Honestly, I don't know what to say..."

"Well, I've learned not to expect that much from you..." Caleb was growing impatient, his frustration and emotions getting the better of him.

Sheila's eyes snapped to his, her mouth clapping shut. "What's with the tone, Caleb? And what the hell is that supposed to mean anyway?"

He gave her the equivalent of a facial shrug and she could feel herself getting annoyed. "You never called."

"And what was I supposed to say if I did? 'Hey thanks for the clean shirt and by the way, although it was my first kiss, it was the most amazing feeling that I've ever felt in my entire life and ever since then my days have been filled with nothing but thoughts of you'?" Sheila shook her head. "I don't think so."

She stood, clutching the handle to her bag in a tight fist, the messenger sliding uselessly across the carpeted library floor as she stalked away.

Caleb's eyes widened. "Was it?"

Sheila stopped, mid-stride, but didn't turn to face him, her anger reduced to pinpricks of embarrassed tears in her eyes. "Was what it?..."

"The kiss?" He walked over to her cautiously. "Was it really your first?"

She dropped her head, her shoulders hunching forward. "Yes..." She replied, quietly. "I didn't call you because I was scared..."

"Scared of what?"

"Rejection."

"Rejection?" He touched her shoulder softly, flushing his body against hers when she didn't step away, much like he did in the ice cream parlor, wrapping his arms around her tiny waist. "If you felt half of what I did..." His breath was a gentle caress against her cheek.

"Stop, Caleb." She forced her reluctant body to pull away from the warm frame of his arms. "You don't have to say those things just to make me feel better."

"But I'm not just 'saying' those things. It's the truth, I promise, and I would never give you anything less."

Sheila knew deep down that what he spoke were honest words and she couldn't help but sigh in relief. _'Maybe these feelings are genuine and mutual after all...' _She allowed herself a small smile. _'Yay for me!' _

She turned to face him. "That's always reassuring. We've finally reached an understanding. The whole Aaron thing you did because you were trying to protect me for one reason or another." She wove a hand through the air. "And the, uh, kissing thing... was because..."

"I like you." He finished.

She gave a curt nod. "Sure. So, you know, are we cool now?" She asked quietly, taking her bottom lip between her teeth. Waiting. Hoping.

"We will be..." She could hear the relief and smile in his voice.

She suddenly stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Thank you for understanding, Caleb. I hope my ignorance and inexperience didn't hurt you any..."

He gently rubbed her back, pulling her closer to him and ran his lips over the crown of her head. "No... No hurt feelings here... I was just worried is all... I don't want to see anything bad happen to you..." He pulled away from her a little and looked down at her, his eyes sparkling. "How about you and I get a latte or something? I think Pogue's working today. We can talk some more, yeah?"

She nodded, then quickly shook her head, her mind changing. "I wish I could, but I'm sorry I can't." His eyebrows crashed together. "I'm meeting Reid."

Caleb slipped his hands from her waist and took a step back. "Oh... I see..."

"Relax. He's my lab partner..." She reached for his hand and gave it a light squeeze. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Of course." He reached up, fiddling a few strands of her hair between his thumb and forefinger.

He couldn't get enough of her hair. The shimmer, the texture. So soft. So smooth. Like her body. Aching to be touched. He imagined what it would be like to be surrounded by her long tresses as she easily rode him. Her hair would tickle his nipples, caress his face like a secret lover's hand. Curtain him. Drown him as he obediently reached climax, smothered by the scent of peach shampoo.

Caleb smirked, letting the strands fall against her neck, his hand following their journey. He brushed the collar of her shirt aside, her eyes watching him with anticipation as he leaned down, his chocolate gaze boring into her sapphire one.

She licked her lips, readying them for contact, shuddering with surprise and pleasure as he bypassed her mouth completely and rested his lips against her neck, right on the hickey.

He straightened, but continued to stroke the mark with the tip of his finger. "So disdainful this is to mar the flawless skin of a such a beautiful lady..." His eyes flashed with possessiveness. _'Lady? Yes... My Lady...' _

She heard the thought, tightening the grip she had on his hand in fear. _'Lady? Does he know...?' _

She shook her head. _'No way...' _To reassure herself, she pushed further into his thoughts searching for any trace of it. She followed it back to a dark corner of his mind. She could feel something familiar within the mental block he had around whatever it was. A faint whisper in the dark.

Sheila sighed. _'Another mystery...' _Slowly, she stepped away from him, his warm hand slipping from her grasp.

"I gotta go." Caleb put on a pout and she laughed, playfully slapping his shoulder. "Stop. I have to. School comes first."

He knew he should've resisted, especially after what happened Sunday, but he also knew that it was inevitable. Something inside him pushed him to do it, like his other evil, horny half was somehow magnetized to her innocence.

'_Oh, damn.' _Sheila thought as she looked at Caleb in all his manly beauty. He had this desperate, needy look in his eyes and she knew what was about to happen.

He was going to kiss her.

And she wasn't going to do a damn thing to stop him.

He leaned in, closer, closer, and she froze, staring, watching the (What was that? Desire?) intensify in his eyes. She guessed that if she looked in a mirror right now hers would reflect the same level of want.

Need.

'_Put the brakes on, honey! You know what would happen if you let him get too close!' _Sheila mentally berated herself, grumbling curses under her breath as she sidestepped Caleb's lips and brushed hers across the bottom of his strong jaw.

He blinked.

She smiled. "Tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

Sheila gestured between them. "We should slow things down..."

He swallowed, pocketing his hands in his khakis, his fingers grazing lightly over his throbbing erection. "Definitely..."

"Friends?"

He smiled. "Of course." He paused, pointing at her neck. "Are you going to cover that up?"

She awkwardly moved her collar closer to her skin. "Should I?" He didn't answer and she shrugged. "It's okay. It's just a little splotch. No big deal, right? You can barely see it."

Caleb threw her a wolfish grin. "Well I guess I'm just going to have to try harder next time..."

Sheila scoffed. "How can you be so sure there _will _be a next time?"

He quirked a brow, crossing his arms across his broad chest. "How can you be so sure there won't...?"

She fought the grin that tugged at the corner of her mouth. "You know, Aaron was right..." She laughed at his confused expression. "You are one cocky son of a bitch, Danvers." She leaned forward and dropped another feathery kiss on his cheek. "You really are..."

She turned, her walk hypnotizing him as she slowly flitted away and for the second time that day (and the beginning of a long series of these moments, Caleb was sure) he resisted the urge to run after her, her waterfall of black tresses waving a teasing good-bye as she turned a corner.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"It has been a long while, my dear boy. How have you been?" The older man produced a plate of lemon cookies from who knows where and set them on the table. He picked one up and chewed thoughtfully. "I hear you have been very busy with my son..." James cast his cold, grey eyes upon the boy sitting across from him.

Aaron took a sip of his water, the liquid sliding tastelessly down his dry throat. "That would be correct, sir."

"I assume all your threats and obscenities are only to ensure my son's safety, yes?"

Aaron nodded. "Whatever I have to do to get this thing over with."

James smiled, his already wrinkled face threatening to fold in on itself. "That's good to hear, Aaron. I'm glad that you are taking this debt well."

Aaron set his glass on the table before him, the ice tinkling lightly in the stifling attic. "My father was not the best of men, Mr. Danvers, and I would do anything to wipe the slate of my family's name clean and start fresh with my own life." He swallowed. "Once Caleb Claims her and my father's debt is paid, I can drop this act and start over in college. Show people the real me."

"People know the real you here, Aaron."

Aaron shook his head. "No, they don't. They only know the person you have asked me to become. This snobby, rich asshole who cares nothing about other people, only about his own self worth and gain. It's not me. It's not me at all. And I don't like deceiving people."

"I know."

"No, you don't. Those people, however rude or conceited they are, are my friends, my only friends, and to them I will always be remembered as Aaron Abbott, the guy that was always picking fights with the Sons of Ipswich because I had nothing better to do."

"You had no choice. This is your father's debt to pay, but since he has passed, you have accepted full responsibility of it and you will fulfill it."

A sigh. "You know I will, James." Aaron's voice was like gravel, like he had suddenly aged 20 years right before James' eyes. The boy was a meek 18 years old, but his voice, his eyes, his face, looked tired, so tired...

"Come here, my child." James held out his hand and Aaron reluctantly took it, coming around the coffee table to sit next to the older man. "I shall give you strength..."

"No, you are already growing weak just having this conversation. You need your rest."

James smiled at him, patting the boy's hand. "Rest sounds wonderful..." He sighed. "You are a good person, Aaron. Soon our world will discover the truth and banish those that try to destroy it..." His voice had grown low. Sad, yet menacing.

Aaron smiled at the James' profile, reaching out to trace the crow's feet blossoming at the corner of his eye. "You miss her, don't you?" The older man didn't answer. "My Aunt Anneliese loves you truly, James. We will figure out where they hold her prisoner and return her to your side, I promise."

James nodded with a bitter smile. "All we need is for Sheila to read the journals, overcome her feelings of loss and confusion and embrace the fact that Caleb is her mate. And she is his Lady..." He blinked away the wave of sleep that insistently poured over him. "She's a smart girl. She won't be able to ignore the succubus and strange happenings forever."

"By the looks of things, I have reason to believe that Caleb is finally starting to listen to his dreams. He is already acting so protective of her. He won't be able to contain himself much longer. He already struggles with the lust."

James chuckled. "I don't blame my son." He gathered the blankets that surrounded him and let his body fall to its side, resting his head on a pillow. He coughed, his eyes finally easing shut. Aaron stood, allowing James access to the rest of the couch and the withering man took it, greedily eating it up with his outstretched legs. "Have you felt the shock waves?"

It was Aaron's turn to laugh. "Yes." His hand rested on the dusty banister of the staircase, his foot hovering above the first downward step. "And they feel like absolute Heaven and death for any male around..."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sheila's hand paused in midair as she stood outside the door to Reid's dorm room, her face crinkled as she strained to hear the muffled voices within. The door was open a crack, but she didn't want to be rude and just barge in.

So, instead, she chose to knock. And listen.

The people inside weren't actually _talking..._

More like...

...sighing...

...low breaths...

...a curse or two?...

Sheila jumped away from the door, her eyes widening, the door creaking ominously as it inched further open. She had never heard that noise in real life before, not even from her own mouth, but she was sure that what she just heard was an exclamation of pure pleasure.

A moan...

And then, all noise within ceased, the door now open about halfway, Sheila not seeing anyone inside as she tried desperately to press herself into the wall and shadows. Her breath came out in short, tense bursts.

She took a step to the right, gasping when a husky purr wafted toward her from the room.

"Do not run away without saying hello, Sheila..." The voice suggested bad things would happen if she did. "Come in. I've been expecting you."

She immediately obeyed, her feet shuffling forward, hand reaching out to push the door the rest of the way open.

"Damn it, Reid!" She heard a muffled thud as something (or rather someone, she guessed) hit the floor.

Sheila faltered, but squared her shoulders and forged on, stepping into the room. The air in here was thick and stifling, the warmth of it closing in on her, making her break out in a light sweat.

The sight before her was one right out of one of those magazines that they only keep behind the registers at gas stations.

Dirty...

So dirty...

She saw Tyler first. He was on the floor beside the bed furthest from the door, his wide, ocean eyes staring innocently at her from over the top of the bed. They gazed at each other for a moment before she turned away, choosing instead to look at a rather interesting spot on the floor.

The young boy stood, his blush matching the color of his red boxers perfectly, and hastily grabbed a pair of jeans that were sprawled on the floor. He quickly put those and a T-shirt on before snatching his keys from his bedside table. He pocketed them and threw an accusing look at Reid. Reid merely shrugged and blew him a kiss, deepening the blush that already consumed most of Tyler's body.

Tyler brushed passed Sheila, careful not to meet her eyes, with a tiny 'Hello' before quickly exiting the dorm room. Sheila took a deep breath, her nostrils filling with the scent of him. Undeniably, he smelled like sex (although Sheila would never question what she heard or walked in on today... EVER...) and a bit like... baby powder, maybe...

'_She didn't think they were... Ahem... like that... They surely didn't act or seem like it...' _The way they (especially Reid, who seemed incapable of keeping his hands to himself, instead always finding a good skirt to hide them under) acted around all types of girls definitely squashed her thoughts.

Sheila shrugged and turned her eyes to the room's other occupant, covering her mouth quickly to stifle a surprised gasp.

Reid was lounging gracefully across the full length of his bed, one arm resting behind his head, the other splayed casually on his stomach, his fingers twitching ever so slightly along the ridges of his defined abs. His legs, long and lean, were crossed at the ankles, dangling carelessly over the edge of the bed.

Other than his impish grin, he wore nothing at all, his body glistening with a fine sweat, his hair, mussed and wet, falling into his glittering, blue eyes.

Sheila blushed, not daring to look at the exposed area between his knees and stomach, bringing her notebook before her face with a nervous giggle. "Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt anything... I thought you said to come in..."

"But I did, my sweet." He stretched, the muscles cording beneath his skin in the somewhat practiced synchronization that only a swimmer would know.

She could hear the bed shifting beneath him as he stood and before she knew it, she felt him standing directly in front of her, his dominance inevitable due to his towering height over her.

He made her lower her notebook/shield, wrapping a warm hand around her tiny wrist with a devilish grin.

"Hello..." He purred.

She swallowed. "Hi."

"Everything okay?" His eyes were like ice, crystal clear and just as cold.

"Yes..." The word was nothing more than a whispered breath.

He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. "I trust that you will not speak of the things that you saw here today. Whatever you think happened is a lie and whatever you say happened will surely fall on deaf ears." The grip on her wrist increased. "Are we clear?"

Sheila grimaced in pain. "Ow... Reid, you're hurting me..."

He squeezed harder, his eyes flashing and for a brief moment, Sheila saw the Power within him. It was hard and unrelenting, much like his rebellious half. Sheila frowned. She knew somewhere in there was the good Reid...

She narrowed her eyes to paper thin slits so he wouldn't be able to see the black of her eyes as she called upon her Powers, pushing out with invisible hands into him.

He blinked, shaking his head lightly, his eyes returning to a sky blue, the beast within him settling away. _'For now.' _She thought. He would question what just happened to him for days to come, blaming it solely on the reason that he was Ascending soon and his Powers were still being tamed.

She struggled against his grasp for a moment before he let her go with a tinkling laugh. She rubbed her wrist with a slight frown, then swatted him with the notebook she still clutched in her other hand.

"Ow!" Reid threw his hands over his head in a feeble attempt to ward off her continuous blows. "What was that for?!"

"For God's sake, boy!" She leaned down (mindful of his package dangling mere inches from her face) and snatched a pair of sweat pants from the floor. She turned her head away as she thrust them into his chest with a growl. "Put on some damn clothes!"

**A/N: **I hope, as always, you have enjoyed this chapter and please review. Next: What Covenant story wouldn't be complete without a trip to Nicky's...?


	18. The Harlan Hunters

**A/N: **Okay so I know this is going to disappoint a lot of you (or not, I'm sure!) but seeing as how this is a Sheila/Caleb fic, I've decided that Chase really isn't that important. Therefore, he won't be taken completely out of the story (because he is needed) but you just won't be seeing him in it as much. I'll mention him here and there, but other than that, he's done... For now...

Oh and this chapter and the next one does take place at Nicky's and seeing as how Nicky's is forever packed, there will lots of action and drama going on!

**CHAPTER 18:**

**The Harlan Hunters**

Finally the first week of school came to an end. It was Friday night and Sheila had just returned from a nice, long shower (in which case she had run into a VERY naked Reid who grinned wickedly at her as he pulled a blushing Tyler into a nearby stall) to find Kate sucked halfway in her closet, carelessly tossing pieces of clothing over her shoulders, all the while grunting and panting about how she had nothing to wear.

Sheila half dove onto her bed, wriggling excitedly beneath her covers, and watched with great amusement as Kate continued the air assault on the room with her clothes.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to find something to wear to Nicky's."

"Nicky's?" Sheila had heard about that place. It was where the old and the underaged alike would go to get their drink and foosball on. "What's so special about tonight?"

Kate erected her stance, shaking her layered hair from her face, and smiled triumphantly as she clutched a floral patterned dress in her hand. "The Harlan Hunters are playing."

Sheila nodded her head. "Oh..."

"They're a great band." Kate slipped the dress over her head, the material sliding gracefully along her chocolate curves. "You should come with me and check them out."

Sheila thought about it. Hmm, stay here and sleep while everyone else in the whole dorm building was out having fun or go and enjoy herself. Caleb would more than likely be there. She bit her lip. And probably Aaron too... That's a lethal combination. _'Bad, very bad.' _She didn't want or need any more drama right now. Walking in on Reid and Tyler doing who wanted to guess what was enough for her to handle this week.

And there was the fact that her catamenial period was coming up. Her arousal scent would be magnified by 100 times and that alone would cause any male to go into a frenzy. Going like that into a bar packed with drunk men was like throwing a PS3 into a caged off ring full of video game nerds.

It would be a bloodbath...

Although... She could Use to tame the scent... But then she would be concentrating so hard on doing that that she wouldn't be having any fun at all...

Damn.

She nestled herself further into her bed. "No." She sighed, rubbing her tired eyes with the back of her hand, and turned her body away from Kate before closing her eyes. "I think I need to make peace with my bed."

Kate stood in front of the full length mirror, checking herself out from every possible angle. "You sure?" She dabbed a bit more gloss on her lips, then smiled, seemingly satisfied with her appearance.

Sheila smiled. "Yup."

Kate let out a long, deep groan as she pulled her leather jacket on. "Oh well..." She placed a hand on her hip dramatically and inspected the manicure on her other. "I guess Caleb will just have to be disappointed then..."

Sheila's eyebrows furrowed together, but she kept her eyes closed. "What do you mean?"

Kate was now standing over her. Sheila could hear the tinkle of the chain link handle to her purse near her face. Kate leaned down, her warm breath brushing the surface of Sheila's ear and neck. "He asked me to bring you..."

Sheila's blue eyes snapped open with a sinful grin. "Give me 15 minutes."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Do you think Aaron will be here?" Sheila pulled her pea coat closer to herself as Kate reached for the door to Nicky's, tugging it open. They were immediately hit with a blast of what sounded like the last notes to a kick ass guitar solo. The crowd cheered, chanting for more.

"Does it matter?" Kate shrugged. "Besides, the Sons will be here, plus Chase, so if anything happened..." Her voice trailed off, not wanting to fill her friend's head with horrible possibilities before they even stepped foot in the joint.

"Yeah, I guess you're right..."

They stepped inside, the huge, metal door pushing a harsh wind against their backs, dead leaves swirling about their heeled feet. The place was bigger than it looked on the outside. To her right, Sheila saw the band on stage, strumming up their instruments for the next song, the crowd of writhing, sweaty bodies swaying to the beat.

"Come on!" Kate yelled, grabbing her hand and tugging her through the crowd toward the stage.

Sheila was beaming. The energy of the place floored her as she entered and as the lead guitar let out a low purr through the amps, she could feel her body responding to the testosterone, hyping itself up for one hell of a night.

She followed closely behind Kate, passing the bar and a couple of pool tables on the way, and brushed passed a laughing Reid, who was holding a pool stick in one hand, collecting a wad of twenties in the other from a scowling Tyler.

She paused in her walk and leaned her body against Reid's, her mouth flush to his ear. "Hey, cutie, save me a game, okay?" He turned his face into hers causing her lips to brush his cheek and smiled, nodding. Sheila laughed, allowing Kate to continue leading her to the dance floor.

And that's when she spotted him. Passed the small wooden tables and bar stools, further passed the bathrooms and the unused jukebox. Tucked into a far corner of Nicky's were the foosball tables and there stood the most delicious looking man Sheila had ever seen.

He was playing a game of foosball with Pogue, Chase casually leaning against a near wall as he waited his turn. Clad in only a wife beater and some butt hugging jeans, Caleb expertly rolled the bars on the table, tossing the ball into his goal with practiced ease. He triumphantly raised his fists in the air, his arms bulging, sweat dripping down his muscles in an erotic dance.

Oh, what Sheila would give to be able to lick the sweat from his body...

Or better yet, be the one making him sweat... Her nipples hardened at the mere thought.

The game progressed and Sheila watched his golden eyes light up and dance, playful and alert. He was laughing, his dog tags bouncing across his broad chest, and as he scored another goal, accentuating the victory with a little happy dance, Sheila swallowed.

'_My God... He is pure sex on legs...' _The succubus stirred and Sheila stopped walking all together, her hand sliding from Kate's grasp.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Sheila unconsciously fluffed her hair and ran her tongue over her teeth. "How's my hair? Anything in my teeth?"

Kate laughed. "No. You look ab fab."

"Ab fab?"

"Absolutely fabulous." She patted the other girl's arm. "Don't worry. He already likes you." Sheila blushed. "Let's dance, yeah?" Sheila nodded. "Maybe we can stir up some trouble."

"Yeah." She paused, gaining confidence, and completely ignoring the fact that her body was already tensing up to release some major shock waves. "Yeah!" Sheila grabbed her hand and guided her to the dance floor. "May we have a scandalous time!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Caleb felt her before he saw her. Even through the stale scent of beer and cigarettes, he could smell peaches, the wind from outside blowing through and bringing her arousal right to him. He inhaled deeply and searched for her as he awaited his turn to have another go at foosball.

He spotted Sheila on the dance floor, moving along to the sensual back beat of the Harlan Hunters, Kate laughing and dancing beside her.

It was as if someone had pushed the slow motion button, then refocused the picture on just her. It looked as though she were submerged underwater, her limbs rippling in slow, fluid movements. Her hair, long and curled, lifting and twirling around her face as her body twisted suggestively around the sea of squirming, sweaty concert goers. He smirked as he noticed all male eyes were fixated solely on Kate and Sheila as they playfully moved with each other to the music.

The dim stage lights softened her already nymph like features, casting a mix of yellow and red gels upon her glistening face. She snaked her arms into the smoky bar air, her hips undulating with the beat of the drums and bass guitar. She smiled, tilting her head back and closed her eyes as the stage lights slowly shifted from red to blue.

Caleb watched her, practically salivating, and as she ran her hands lightly over the front of her dress, he imagined for a brief moment that her hands were running the length of his chest and abs, where they came to a halt on his thighs. He shook his head, the song ending, and eyed her as she grabbed Kate's forearm, yelling something at her while pointing at the bar.

Kate nodded and Sheila shakily walked off the dance floor, adrenaline and thirst coursing through her veins. Her heart was thumping wildly and she was in desperate need of water. She stepped under the regular house lights and Caleb's breath faltered. Her skin carried a faint glow, like the sun glinting of the ocean, her eyes bright, anxious and sated.

She wove her way easily through the labyrinth of tiny, wooden tables that were overflowing with empty bottles and people. A hand reached out and gently took her arm in its hold. Caleb stirred, his eyes flashing.

Sheila looked at her arm, then at the man. He was drunk and much older than your average 20-something bar hopper. His eyes were half lidded, his breathing labored as the fat that encased his bones surely crushed his lungs and clogged his arteries. Drool ran in a fine river down his chin.

He smiled, revealing a row of yellowing teeth. "Hey darling, what's a gorgeous morsel like you doing in a place like this?" His words slurred together, the mug of beer he held in his other hand teetering dangerously, liquid sloshing down the sides and onto his meaty hand.

Sheila frowned. "Obviously not avoiding the town trash..."

"Oh come on, honey, don't be like that... I just want to talk..."

"Aren't I a little too _young _for you-" She pulled her arm from his grasp and narrowed her eyes. "-_sir_?"

He ran his fingers along her arm, savoring her soft skin. "That's okay, we ain't gotta tell yer daddy..."

"My father's dead."

"Well tonight's my lucky night then, huh?" He went to stand, reaching out for her again, but Sheila took a quick step back and delivered a lethal up thrust of her palm to his nose. The man fell back into his chair with a groan and Caleb laughed.

"Look, mister, obviously your tiny brain doesn't understand when someone says no, so you touch me again and you'll be meeting my father sooner than you think-" Her eyes flashed and she put on her sweetest smile. "-in hell..."

She turned with a superior flip of her raven hair and idled up to the bar, ordering herself a water. The bartender handed her a bottle of Fiji with a wink and she paid and thanked him, then melted herself into a nearby chair, fanning herself lazily with one hand, her tongue hanging comically out.

Caleb straightened his stance from the wall he was leaning against and wiped his hands nervously on the side of his jeans. "Pogue, man, I'm gonna sit the next one out." He rubbed a hand across his chest. "My heart's just not in it tonight."

"Sure, Cay." He glanced at Sheila and put on a Cheshire grin. "I think I know why..." He nodded toward Sheila and Caleb's eyes followed, blushing. "And I'm pretty sure I know what your heart-" He paused. "-or rather, another important body part, would like to be in tonight..."

Caleb winked at Pogue, holding a finger to his lips, and touched his knuckles to his friend's before going over to Sheila.

He somewhat danced his way to her, bobbing his head to the Harlan Hunters, and upon reaching the table, he leaned over her and planted a butterfly kiss on the top of her head. The smell of peaches was overwhelming and Caleb's eyes drifted shut.

"Hi, beautiful." His voice grew hoarse as a minor shock wave tumbled over him.

Sheila smiled. "Hello."

"I'm going to the bar. Want anything?"

"Root beer, please. Extra cherries."

He nodded, bought the drinks, and returned, taking a seat next to her with a grin.

"So I never expected to see you in a place like this..."

Sheila dumped a handful of cherries into her chilled mug and took a deep sip. "Yeah... Is that what you told Kate when you asked her to invite me?"

Caleb's eyebrows knitted together. "I didn't ask Kate to bring you..."

"Oh..." She covered her cheek with her hand, trying discreetly to cover the oncoming blush. "You didn't? Kate said... I just thought... Maybe..."

He laughed, nudging her playfully. "I was joking. Of course, I wanted you to come." He took her hand in his, lacing their fingers together, and she smiled. "You think I wanted to look at Pogue's ugly face all night? Hell no. Why do that when I can stare at all your gorgeousness instead?"

He stared at her and she at him. It felt as if he were falling yet at the same moment, still sitting, motionless.

Sheila shifted in her seat. "What?"

Caleb shook his head. "What?"

"_You're _the one staring..."

His face flushed. "I'm sorry." He took a deep breath. "It's just... Your eyes... They are very..." Her eyes flashed quickly to gold, then back to that deep blue he loved so much. He blinked, his compliment trailing off.

"Different?" He nodded. "Yeah, I've been hearing that a lot this week."

"That's not what I meant."

She smiled and popped a cherry in her mouth. "I know. With the exception of you guys and Kate, I've come to find that most people either see me as a piece of meat or as competition."

"Here at Spenser?"

Sheila laughed, the sound causing Caleb's heart to flutter and his pants to tighten. "Especially at Spenser!"

"And why, pray tell, do you think that is?"

A serious expression stoned her face and she fixed a piercing gaze on him. "Because of the way I look..."

"The way you look?"

"Yeah, I'm not ugly, Caleb. I know this and people, especially guys, notice."

'_They sure do...' _Caleb thought as he watched her take in another deep breath, the tips of her nipples straining against the thin fabric of her dress. He licked his lips and swallowed. "Yeah." He squeaked. "I guess I could see that..."

She swatted his arm, smirking. "Shut up..."

She bore her eyes into his and Caleb let out a tiny moan, unable to help himself. "God..."

"What?" Her eyes widened and the sapphire color of her eyes deepened in its vividness.

"Where did you get such striking eyes? I don't believe I've ever seen that shade of blue before."

"Oh..." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and Caleb cursed himself inwardly for not seeing it first. "My mother gave them to me."

He smiled. "Well that was really generous of her, wasn't it?"

"Almost as generous as you've been to me."

He let out a short, booming laugh. "Almost."

"I'm serious." She sighed. "I really want to thank you."

"For what?"

"For being so nice to me... You and Kate and the rest of the boys..." She paused. "You didn't even know me and yet you accepted me into your little family..." She took a deep breath, filling her lungs to its capacity, and let it out slowly. She squeezed his hand. "It's a nice feeling... You know, like you belong... So thank you..."

They sat and listened to the Harlan Hunters for a bit. Caleb bobbing his head and Sheila watching Kate as she danced, her long limbs and perfect moves suggesting that she used to be a dancer.

"So..." Caleb finished off his Sam Adam's (Yes, a beer. Nicky's known the Sons and their fathers forever and knew that if he snuck the boys a little something to drink, their parents wouldn't mind and the Sons weren't stupid enough the drive home drunk.) and gave her a quizzical look. "I saw you take out that fat guy over there." She nodded. "Where did you learn those moves? I mean, first Keira, then that guy. He's got a good 200 pounds on you, if not more."

"I took a self defense class a couple of summers ago."

"Why?"

"My dad."

"Oh, didn't want his little girl getting hurt by a horny, teenage guy, huh, so he made you take a self defense class just in case you found yourself in some back seat unwillingly, right?"

She swept her thumb over the back of his hand. "Not exactly." She hesitated. "He was actually the _reason, _not the instigator."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't understand... Why would you need to defend yourself against your dad?"

"I had to ward off his attacks somehow. I wasn't just going to sit there and take it, so when I finally got old enough to drive, I took myself to the police station and took a class."

"If you went to the police station, why not just report him then?"

Sheila scowled at him. "It wasn't that easy, okay?" She paused. "He was all I had left... If he got put behind bars, I'd have to move in with foster parents. I'd lose my house, my friends..." Her voice shook and Caleb kicked himself for asking so many questions and upsetting her.

He reached out and caressed her cheek. "Why would anyone want to hurt you...?"

She closed her eyes. "Because he was drunk..." She drew in a deep breath. "Because he could..." She drank the last dregs of her root beer and popped another cherry in her mouth. She threw the stem into an ashtray occupying a small space on the table.

"Hey, you wanna see a trick?" It might not make her feel 100 percent better, but he sure as hell was going to try.

Sheila's eyes lit up, the scared, little girl from a moment before completely gone. "Like magic?" Her succubus was fully awake now, watching him with a golden gaze behind her blue eyes.

"Sort of." He motioned to her bowl of cherries. "I would need one of those."

She picked up one and as she held it between her forefinger and thumb, the fruit spinning innocently between the teens, she smirked. "Last one..." She opened her mouth slowly, nestling the cherry between her pink lips, the stem sticking out. She bit into it slightly, a trickle of juice running the length of her chin.

Caleb groaned, looking away as he licked his lips. He wanted to wipe the juice away... with his tongue... He pulled a napkin from the center holder with a grunt and brought it to her chin, but she stopped him. She shook her head with a coy smile and tapped his mouth, tracing his lips with her finger.

Leaning into her slowly, his eyes locked on hers, his tongue darted out, lapping up the red river of juice that had dribbled on her chin. Sheila's breathing hitched, her chest rising and falling fast, the tips of her beaded nipples erotically brushing his pecs.

He continued upward, putting his mouth on hers, and lightly brushed her lips with his. Caleb's eyes rolled. God... She was so soft... So warm...

He wanted in...

But he wasn't going to push. Praying for control, his tongue snaked out again, this time tasting the cherry on her bottom lip. She gasped and taking the end of the cherry stem gingerly between his teeth, he pulled, the tiny 'pop' as the fruit separated from the stem audible above their heavy breathing.

He eased back into his chair with a grin, pulling the stem from his teeth. "Now... The trick..." He turned his body from hers to where his back was completely facing her. She peered over his shoulder curiously. He tsked. "No peeking..." He put the stem back into his mouth, his tongue rolling over it, sizing it up.

She watched him, her breath held, mouth slightly open in anticipation. He heard her gasp behind him as he closed his eyes and willed them to black. Then pulling a clear image of her in his head, he went to work on the cherry stem.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sheila gasped and brought a hand to her throat, swallowing hard, the steady rhythm of her heart increasing as the sensations increased. Caleb was still turned away from her, working diligently on the cherry stem, when she felt- What? A hand? A tongue?- run down the smooth curve of her neck to her collarbone.

She looked around wildly, praying that no one was watching her as she leaned back in her chair, her head falling back with a sigh. Her hand reaching up, following the invisible path of the whatever it was. Down her breasts, over her stomach, and under the folds of her skirt where her hand stayed poised on the outside of her panties. She licked her lips in anticipation.

Power (not her own) surged an electrical buzz around her, but she was too far gone to even contemplate as to where it was coming from, the succubus within pushing away all her fears and second guesses and replacing them with need and want. The unseen tongue licked again, this time at the crevice of her breasts. Her nipples hardened and her legs unconsciously spread wider, her core silently begging for attention. Her fingers twitched.

Caleb smiled, his nostrils flaring as he sensed her growing arousal. He turned the stem over in his mouth, twisting it, turning it, and the imaginary -Mouth?- trailed wet kisses to one of her nipples, then the other.

Suckling. Nipping. Twisting. Turning.

Sheila closed her eyes and bit her lip, stifling a moan. Pleasure spiraled through her lower abdomen, hot and needy. The tongue glided down her stomach, circling her belly button a few times before it moved lower to the place just above her clitoris.

The cleft.

And that's where it stayed. Circling lazily. Driving her mad. Her hand slowly trailed a feather light path along the inside of her thigh, itching to touch something.

Something wet...

Sheila groaned. _'Come on...' _Closer and closer her hand came...

And then...

The tongue licked.

Once.

Twice. Harder this time.

Sheila moaned, her hand shaking, poised above her clitoris, the only thing separating her and release was the sheer fabric of her panties. Just one touch. A pinch. _Anything..._

"There you go. All done."

She let out a squeak and nearly jumped three feet in the air. If she wasn't already sitting, she would've fallen to the ground. She sat up and opened her eyes. Caleb was facing her again, a toothy grin plastered on his face as he held out the cherry stem, now bent into the shape of a star.

He furrowed his eyebrows and wiped a few drops of sweat from her forehead. "You okay? You look... hot..." He inwardly did a happy dance.

Sheila nodded vigorously. "Yeah..." She swallowed, her throat suddenly scratchy. "Yeah... It's just... Hot... So hot..." She took a deep drink from her water bottle. "Hot in here..." She smiled when he placed the star in her palm. "Great trick..." Her eyes were glossed, golden, as if she were lost in another moment, another place. She licked her lips. "Great trick..."

Caleb smirked triumphantly. Pogue and the others will shit a brick when they realize it was him who just Used, but he didn't care. It was worth it. He didn't do it to be mean. He just wanted to give her a taste. Let her know what it would be like if she decided to pursue a relationship with him, well sans Using, of course, but Caleb was confident, if not cocky in his sexual experience.

He knew how to take care of a woman... Or two...

And it wasn't just all physical, either. He actually relied more on the emotional connection than anything and hoped Sheila saw that he was, in fact, a good person.

Sheila tore her gaze from his with much resistance on her succubus' part. He was giving her The Look again. The one where she was the only person in the room and he wanted nothing more than to just take her in his arms and devour her.

But in her present state, she definitely wouldn't mind...

She resorted to looking around the bar, fanning herself lazily with her hand. Caleb could smell peaches each time she flicked her hand in his direction, causing his head to swim.

'_Not now...' _He thought. He wanted to be in control this time. He didn't want to lose his mind just because she was dressed like that. And smelled like that. And probably tasted like that too. "That" being warm, soft, and eager.

"It's hot in here, huh?"

He dumbly nodded and she slowly slipped off her jacket, the fabric sliding over her shoulders flawlessly, pulling a strap of her dress down. Her scent hit him full blast, his sex getting instantly hard, pushing against the fly of his jeans.

Her body was turned away from him as she placed the jacket on the back of her chair. He reached out his hand and gingerly fingered the strap.

The damn thing was tempting him. Taunting him.

If she felt him, she made no sign of it, so he hooked the strap gently beneath his pointer finger, drifting it easily up, his palm splayed, taking in every inch of her silky arm. He stopped at her shoulder and with very brief hesitation, ran his shaking fingertips down her now exposed spine.

Sheila closed her eyes, breathing deeply in. His hands felt electric on her body and she didn't want him to stop, so instead, she leaned into his touch. He felt her shudder and Caleb smiled.

He returned his hand to the top of her back, palm resting on her shoulder as his long fingers traced her neckline upward. She turned to face him, her legs uncrossing as she did so, and looked at him from under her lashes. She sighed as he brushed a few fallen tendrils of hair away from her collarbone.

One hand on her neck again, his thumb rubbing her throat gently, the other involuntarily resting on her knee. He could feel the heat of her sex through the folds of her skirt and his hand itched desperately to go higher.

He swallowed. _'Oh dear God, help me now...' _

He felt her throat vibrate lightly as she let out a tiny moan. He stopped, gulping back another lump in his throat.

"Please don't stop..." She begged in a throaty whisper.

His forehead let off a fine sheen of sweat, his body trembling harder now. He dared a peek at his crotch, his erection thumping violently in tune to his heartbeat. "You traitor!" He hissed at his swollen appendage.

She leaned into his hand. "What did you say?" She mouthed against his palm, kissing it tenderly. She pulled his hand back a bit, taking hold of his middle finger, and traced her lips with its tip. Then, much to his surprise and pleasure, she licked it before taking the length of it in her mouth.

Caleb's other hand closed in a fist, his fingernails digging in the soft flesh of her thigh, but she didn't seem to notice or care about the pain or the fact that his hand had left the safety of her knee, lingering just inches from her core. A deep rumble of delight formed in his chest and Sheila grinned as she continued to suckle his finger.

"Uh..." He tried to focus his eyes on his zipper - anything! -, but forfeited the effort and looked up. "Oh my..."

She was leaning forward, his finger long forgotten yet wet, the hand that it was attached to pulled and placed on her hip, his thumb circling her belly button. Her hands were placed face down on the space of seat between her knees. Raven hair tumbled in curtained waterfalls about her face, her breaths coming out in little whimpers.

The way her arms were set, shoulders hunched forward, head tilted demurely to one side, elbows locked, her cleavage at attention and full view, made both dress straps fall, pulling the top of the dress down a little, but enough to show Caleb that she wasn't wearing a bra. Pink, sun kissed nipples peered innocently back at him from beneath the sheer fabric of her dress.

"Touch me..." Her voice was low, melodic, almost like a siren's song.

Inviting and deadly at the same time...

'_Holy shit.' _She was the hottest thing he had ever seen. So eager, yet so untouched. _'Yes...' _Caleb's eyebrows furrowed. _'No... This is wrong...' _He tried to jerk his hand away, but she caught it, forcing it up her rib cage, and ended it at her breast, squeezing her hand tightly over his, giving Caleb a supple handful. His thumb quickly went back to circling, this time around her nipple, and she bit her lip in approval.

"Yes... Like that..."

'_Isn't this what you want?'_ Caleb shook his head. _'No, not like this. It's just wrong... It feels so wrong... Like I'm taking advantage of her...' _

Sheila heard his thoughts and smiled, preparing to cut him some slack, but the succubus had a different idea. Pushing out a light wave of energy, it engulfed her, causing her brain to short circuit and any thoughts not pertaining to sex were tossed away.

Another wave.

Caleb attempted for a second time to pull his hand from her oh so tender breast, but she held fast.

"C'mon, Caleb..." She purred softly, allowing her hands to reluctantly let go of his. She reached between them and smoothed her hands down the length of his neck and over his tensed shoulder muscles. She could feel him shaking and gained some satisfaction out of knowing she was now in control.

Her touch was light, innocent even, but a fire trail followed in the wake of her fingers. Her scent so heightened that peaches was all he could smell. But he didn't care, he would gladly drown in it to make this moment last forever.

"Caleb?" He looked at her and she smiled, her fingers finally finding his erection. She skimmed it gently and it jumped in response.

"Y-yes?" His voice was hoarse with anticipation.

She locked her gaze on his, her eyes no longer blue but a brilliant gold. "Touch me..." She scooted further up her chair, her butt resting on the very edge, making his hand on her thigh slip further up her skirt, her sex so hot it would've scorched his hand if it could.

He nodded, dazed, lust and greed consuming his brain cells. "Okay..."

**A/N: **Goodness! What is wrong with those two...?! So naughty! Well, at least Sheila can use the succubus as an excuse, but what about Caleb?! Tell me what you guys think, please! Next: More Nicky's!!!


	19. The Improbable Hero

**A/N: **Okay, so I'm not going to lie and say that I wasn't a little disappointed to see that I only got a measly **9** reviews for the last chapter. I was hoping to at least hit double digits. So A) it wasn't as hot a chapter as I thought or B) people are starting to lose interest in my story. Oh well, here's the next chapter anyway! Enjoy!

**CHAPTER 19:**

**The Improbable Hero**

Chase watched the scene between Sheila and Caleb play out with a twang of jealousy. He'd lost his concentration in the foosball game against Pogue moments after Caleb went to her table, Chase's mixed feelings about her undoubtedly causing him concern for the contract.

Because although he would never admit it out loud, he WAS jealous. Why? Because what was currently going down between Sheila and Caleb was no Illusion of Gorman's. It was as real as it was going to fucking get and she really was sending out those shock waves... Not for him, but for Caleb...

He clenched his fist around the foosball bar, twirling it with the flick of his wrist, the ball bouncing off a plastic player's head and sailing into a nearby speaker. Chase growled in frustration.

"Hey, my man, you all right?" Pogue stopped moving all together, watching Chase in concern as he threw the ball halfheartedly back into the game. The tiny, white ball rolled across the spray painted surface for a moment, teetering precariously close to Pogue's goal before disappearing into the hole.

Chase put on a small smile. "That counts as a point, you know..."

"Anything to help you win since I am kicking your ass..." Pogue chuckled. "No, but seriously, Chase, you straight?"

Chase nodded, his eyes averted away from Pogue's and locked on Sheila. He sneered. Caleb's hand had worked its way behind her long curtain of black hair and was now massaging the back of her neck. The move made Sheila angle her head back, her mouth hanging open in an approving moan, the long, elegant column of her neck gleaming beneath Caleb's tongue.

Caleb's hand went to her breast again, squeezing gently, as he nipped her collarbone, his other hand riding up the satin skin of her thigh, trying to find home, his shoulder muscles straining for control beneath his sweat soaked wife beater. She arched beneath his touch and pulled him closer.

Chase made a disgusted noise. _'Jeez... This fool is totally sexed up... And yet...' _And yet he was so gentle with her. So tender.

Chase mentally shrugged. He had to give the guy credit though. He admired his tact. If he had Sheila where she currently was, he'd take it slow too. She at least deserved that much...

He took a long drink from his chilly mug of tap beer, the frosted glass covering his eyes as Power shimmered across the surfaces. He casually pushed out a wave of jealous energy toward the pawing couple, then nodded again, smirking as Sheila pulled away from Caleb's touch, shaking her head.

"Yeah." He set the mug on the edge of the foosball table and grabbed the bars, readying himself for another game.

"True?" Pogue held up his fist, waiting for Chase's answer.

Chase smiled and tapped his knuckles to his freshly obtained friend's. "True, man. True." He reached into the side hole of the table and pulled out the ball. He held it delicately between his thumb and forefinger, quirking an eyebrow. "Another go?"

Caleb walked up then and deftly snatched the ball from his hand, laughing. "How 'bout you play against me, orphan Annie?" He slipped his leather wallet from his back pocket and pulled out a crisp $100. He waved it teasingly in front of Chase's face. Chase nodded and Caleb playfully bumped against the boy's chest with his shoulder as he made his way to the opposite side of the table.

Chase could smell the scent of peaches on the boy and had half the notion to wring his neck as he passed. Shaking his head, he pulled a wad of twenties from his pocket, and, laughing, Caleb dropped the ball in the middle of the table.

The scent of peaches heightened.

Caleb smiled, licking his lips. "We play for keeps..."

Chase's eyes flared black for a second before he regained his composure and grinned, throwing a sidelong glance at Sheila who stood across Nicky's trying desperately to get a game of pool started with Reid. "No sweat."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He brushed his fingertips over the outside of her cotton panties and they both jumped at the contact, the dampness he felt causing the fabric to cling to her core. He rested his head on her shoulder with a groan, his eyes rolling in his head, nostrils flaring as he inhaled nothing but her scent. He touched her again, running his fingers the length of her core and, judging by the sounds that were being emitted from her, knew that if he pushed the fabric aside he would dip into a whole lot of honey.

'_Oh. My. God.' _She was so right there with him. So right there. And yet...

And yet, she wasn't. She was shaking uncontrollably against the heavy weight of his chest, her eyes downcast, the stiffness in her arms and torso giving her away. Caleb pulled back with a frown and looked at her. She had her eyes closed now, sweat glistening on her wrinkled brow, her teeth gritted as if fighting some inner battle.

Damn, he was a monster. The girl hasn't even had a proper first kiss yet and here he was pawing her like she was some lady of the night.

And then, as if some unseen entity flew up and sat on her shoulder, whispering all the knowledge and secrets of the world in her ear, she tilted her head back with a sigh, her body relaxing beneath his hands.

The heat of Chase's energy was cool against her scorching skin, the invisible wind causing her hair to buffet around her face and Caleb's. She paused in her actions, her hand twitching above the fly of his jeans, his erection throbbing innocently beneath the fabric.

She swallowed, her chin and long neck the only thing he could see as she took a deep breath. "Caleb... I..." She opened her eyes, Nicky's smoke and gum covered ceiling glaring back at her and blinked -once, twice-, the lust reverie breaking, and sat back, Caleb's warm touch slowly slithering away from her. He stared and she stared right back, their breathing deep and hard, skin flushed, her heart pounding with anxiety and disappointment.

She gave her head a light shake, cursing the last of the succubus' needs back with her Powers, and took a deep swig from her bottle of water as she peered around the bar, wondering with heightened confusion who sent out the energy ball and how they knew that it would Banish her succubus away (Well, for the time being...). She smacked her lips in cool satisfaction, unable to meet Caleb's inquiring gaze.

Minutes of silence stretched into what seemed like hours. Sheila inwardly rolled her eyes. _'Say something, dummy!' _She tapped her fingernails nervously on the wooden tabletop.

Sheila sighed. "I'm sorry. I want to, I really do, I just-"

Caleb ran his thumb over her flawless cheek. "No need to explain yourself, beautiful." He smiled. "I'm happy just being around you. I'm not going to push you into doing something you're not ready for."

Sheila smiled. "Are you always such a gentleman, Caleb Danvers?" Her eyes were lit with grateful sadness, her voice distant and regretful. She was starting to curl into herself, close herself off from any emotions. Caleb didn't want that. Didn't want her to pretend. He wanted her to be happy.

"Yes and it's fine." He leaned forward and brushed his lips feather light across hers.

Sheila looked at him, her eyes shining, tears glossing over the surface as they slowly gathered. "I don't want to hurt you, Caleb." She dropped her head, her shoulders hunching forward.

Fuck. Why was life so hard for her? Her father's unstoppable desire to obtain money and success she could defy. The Powers she could handle. Even the succubus she could push away. But him... He brought out things in her that she never thought was possible to feel. Companionship. Comfort. Love. This was all new to her and she was beyond confused.

She was outright terrified.

Caleb shrugged. "Doesn't matter if I get hurt."

Sheila looked at him from under her lashes, a single, transparent tear falling from her navy blue eye to her knee. Her voice trembled. "It matters to me..." She reached out, giving his hand a light squeeze. His thoughts were a jumbled mess and the frown Sheila was currently sporting deepened.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At first, she only used the Gift sporadically. Listening to her teachers, friends. What they really thought of her, of life. Occasionally, she would brush a perfect stranger, flash them a smile to ease their confusion, and continue on her way.

In the beginning, it was her way of getting to know someone. Filter out the evil. Have a little fun. But as she got older, and she discovered her true Power, the Gift was something she only used when her father needed her to. She always hated him for that…

And with that hate, she realized that the farther she grew apart from him, the more pronounced his thoughts became. She figured it would be the opposite. The people she cared for the most would be the ones she could read, but no, every time she got close to someone (or, dare she say, loved someone) the silence always came.

And she'd move on. Because those people got hurt… they always got hurt…

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Caleb furrowed his eyebrows. "Why? I can handle my own."

She took a deep breath. _'Ah, shit...' _"Because I..." She looked at him, his face holding nothing but concern and passion. He squeezed her hand in silent reassurance to continue. She swallowed. "Because I..."

"_I think I'm falling in love with you...' _Another deep breath. One more time. She could do this, even if the only question in her head every time he touched her like that was if he was really enchanted by her and not just intrigued by the general allure of the succubus...

"Because I've seen more tragedy than most generations see in a lifetime. You want me, you have to take the history that comes with me. It's not pretty. It's not nice. But it's mine and lately, I've been having a really hard time controlling things-"

The succubus. The dreams.

"-and I want you to know that they have become more difficult to handle since I've met you." She sighed. "I don't know what it means and I don't know why certain things only happen when I'm around you, but I'm determined to find out..." She let out a mumbled curse. "Jeez, I feel like we keep going down the same path over and over again... Why is this so hard?"

Caleb shrugged. "I don't know. But what I do know is that I like you... A lot... And I'm going to take care of you no matter what..."

Sheila smiled. "I like you too-"

"Hush." He interrupted, placing a finger to her lips. "That's all I need to know..."

"Hello, ladies." Reid suddenly appeared, sidling up next to Sheila as she kept her gaze and smile on Caleb, her hand squeezing his in silent thanks. Reid knuckle-touched Caleb, nodding in a nonchalant, home boy sort of way. He set his hands gently on Sheila's shoulders and Caleb felt a slice of jealousy and anger. Reid leaned down, his breath stroking the side of Sheila's neck. "Hey Sweet Cheeks, the table's set up whenever you're ready, okay?"

Sheila nodded and stood, reaching out to run a hand smoothly through Caleb's fluffy hair. "I'll be right back."

He grabbed her hand before she turned completely away. "Wait..." She quirked a regal eyebrow. Silence on Caleb's part.

"Yes?"

'_Be careful around Reid. He likes to touch.' _But he didn't say it. Instead, he opted to swallow his pride and trust his playboy friend and put on a fake smile. "Watch out. Reid likes to cheat." Worry and the fact that he didn't want her to go tinged his husky voice, but he quickly covered it with a laugh.

Sheila smiled at his unsaid thought. "Don't worry about me." A brief kiss on the cheek and then she was gone.

Caleb sighed, wiping his face with his hands, and grinned as he smelled her scent there. Snippets of a few moments before flashed in his mind and he grew instantly hard... again. Downing the last of his beer, he stood, throwing a glance over his shoulder to make sure Reid was playing nice. Then with a quick sweep of the bar with his eyes, he brought his fingertips to his mouth, his tongue snaking out to taste her.

'_Fuck, he had it bad...' _Damn him. He'd pushed her and himself too far, too fast, the slight hum in his body jolting to life as his Powers reached out to her, the urge to take her so great he almost cracked. He sighed, swallowing her sweetness, and made his way to the back of the bar where Pogue and Chase were.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So, have you ever had two guys at the same time before...?" Reid slid the pool stick easily from the holder nailed to the wall and turned his gaze on her, his icy blue eyes glittering with mischief.

Sheila sputtered. "Excuse me?"

He handed her a stick, closing the gap between them to powder the end of it with the blue cube. "I meant at pool." He smirked. "You ever play two guys at once?"

"Oh." She turned her face away from him so he wouldn't see the blush creeping to her face and fiddled with the multicolored balls on the table. Tyler watched her with mild amusement. Feeling the younger boy's gaze on her, she looked up and gave him a timid smile. "Actually... I've never played before. Period."

A shared glance and grin between the two boys. Sheila let out a nervous laugh. "What?"

Reid shook his head. "Not a problem, Dollface. We'll show you how to play." He punched Tyler's shoulder. "Won't we, Tyler?"

She gave him a skeptical look and shook her head. _'Okaaaay... So this was how it was going to be, huh?' _She thought. _'The two tag teaming her with their pro status and sexual innuendos.' _She set her jaw, her eyes flashing, a grin tugging at the corner of her mouth. She may not know how to play pool, but she DID know the mental game they were playing. She was an expert at that. _'Game on, boys...' _

Reid held out his pool stick. "This is a pool stick." He pointed at the table. "This is a pool table." He touched one of the billiard balls. "These are pool balls. With me so far?"

Sheila planted a hand on her hip, using her other one to poke him hard in the chest with her stick. "Stop being such a smart ass, Garwin."

Reid smirked, rubbing the spot on his chest, the blue of the chalk disappearing into the fabric of his shirt. "Okay, kitten, no need to get feisty..."

"Just get on with it." She paused. "And stop with the pet names. It's not cute."

Reid quirked an eyebrow at Tyler, who just shrugged, his arms crossed over his chest, his deep blue eyes twinkling with amusement. "Okay, basically you just use your stick to drive the balls into any of the six holes. To start off, someone has to break the triangle at the far end of the table-" He pointed and Sheila nodded. "-and you take turns until someone gets the first ball in. Whatever pattern is on that ball is what the player has to go after. There are solids and stripes. Got it?" Another nod. "And every time someone gets a ball in, they get another turn."

"Okay." Sheila eyed the table, sizing it up and contemplating every possible pattern and shot in her mathematically competent head, the invisible equations overlapping each other as she circled the table. She smiled. "Got it."

"Good. Now you just need to learn how to hold your stick properly."

Sheila's eyes flashed gold for a brief moment, the flirting game back on. She cocked her hip out, tilting her head innocently to one side. "Will you show me how to hold it...? It's so _long... _I don't think I can handle it all by myself..."

Reid licked his lips and let out what sounded more like a growl than a laugh. "You want to take that one, Ty? We both know how good at it you are..."

"Yeah, sure." Tyler walked over to Sheila, gently tugging the pool stick from her hands and held it horizontally in front of their eyes. "It's all about balance. You have to figure out where to place your stronger hand, the one that does the pushing, so that there isn't so much slack between that hand and the other. That way you can impact the ball smoother and harder."

Sheila blinked. "Uh, yeah... All that just went -WHOOSH- over my head..." She yanked the stick from his hands and ran a palm smoothly down his chest, smiling. "I'm more of a hands on learning kind of person... You know, gain experience through practice... That straight with you, Tyler?" His name was nothing more than a purr leaving her strawberry glossed lips.

Tyler swallowed, nodding, as Reid fought hard to hold back the laughter threatening to escape his broad chest. Tyler threw him a desperate glance and Reid merely held up his hands in defeat, silently saying this situation was all his and he wasn't getting involved.

'_Okay, Tyler, just breathe... Now think. What would Reid do...?' _Tyler's eyes brightened, the idea striking him suddenly, his defeated expression quickly turning into a wolfish grin.

"It's easy. Here." He closed his hands over hers, the pool stick resting vertically between their palms. His touch was electric and Sheila could feel the untamed Power surging beneath his warm hands, the shock she always felt when she contacted a Son making its way beneath her skin. Her mind blanked, focusing solely on his touch on hers, the interaction timid and sweet. But she wasn't fooled. She saw the raw passion flare to life in his eyes, the succubus coyly teasing him just behind her blue gaze.

"Now-" His breath was warm, his scent innocent like baby powder. "-cup the stick gently like this." He gave her hands a light squeeze and she gasped, her need rising. "Not too hard, okay, you don't want stuff going everywhere. That'll create a mess." He grinned, eyeing Reid evilly over her shoulder. "I find that the whole squeeze and release technique has great results. Here. Try it." She did as she was told, her temperature rising. "Oh yeah, that's it. You got it. Yes, squeeze, up, down, release. Squeeze, up, down, release."

Sheila repeated the four words in a whisper, her heart rate speeding up. She could feel her skin flushing, saw the satisfied grin of Tyler and his myriad of sexual innuendos.

"For the best results, you should hold the stick at the thickest part, here at the base. And the faster and harder you push, the better the results. Doing it this way will surely get something in your hole."

Reid's jaw dropped and he wasn't the kind of guy that got struck dumb very often. He was definitely more than surprised at Tyler's flirting, the youngest of the group really was taking after him... Reid wiped away an invisible tear. He was SO proud...

"Got it?"

Sheila dumbly nodded, her heavy breathing and pale skin Reid took as a sign that Tyler had been successful in his mission. Reid was more than ready to knock her out of the park. After all, he was an expert...

"All right, all right, Baby Boy." He stepped in front of Tyler and took Sheila's hands in his. "Let's put his guaranteed lesson to the test, yeah?" He turned Sheila abruptly around, bending her at the waist, her hands flying out to the table surface to catch herself. He placed the stick in her hand. "Pretend like your about to make a shot."

She did, her body cocking in the oddest angles. She stayed that way for what seemed like forever, awkward and motionless. She turned her head slightly to the side. "Reid?"

"Hold on. I'm examining your body."

"What?"

She could feel his eyes on her and made to turn completely around, but Reid molded his body roughly against hers before she could. She gasped, feeling his hands palming her hips as he shifted her bottom into the crook of his crotch. He wiggled her hips this way and that, her butt rubbing erotically against the front of his jeans. One hand ran the outside length of her bare thigh, pulling her legs further apart.

"What are you doing?!"

"Fixing your stance. What does it feel like?"

'_Like I'm about to have your baby...' _She didn't answer.

"Feel my body with yours." He whispered. "Feel how it's standing, how it's bracing. Mimic it." And she did, her legs spreading further apart to stand on the outside of his. "Good girl..."

He wrapped a heavy arm across her waist, the other holding the pool stick, and drew her flush to his body. He pushed the hair from her eyes so she could see better, his breath, hot and hungry, swept across her bare shoulders and neck. He positioned the stick steadily in her hands, his hands covering hers.

"It helps if you rock your body back and forth." His voice was husky and low, a deadly combination. "Ease into your shot like this." And slowly, achingly, they started moving together, as one, back and forth, back and forth. Sheila closed her eyes, feeling every inch of his blonde deliciousness on her skin, the scent of peaches filling the air.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Caleb's eyes flashed dangerously as he watched Reid press his body against his Lady's -er, Sheila's-, a growl rumbling deep in his chest. He also saw that Tyler's face had turned an unnatural shade of red, his gaze flicking from her face to the front of her dress -which was surely hanging open- as she leaned forward. Caleb narrowed his eyes. He knew exactly what Tyler saw when she bent down like that...

'_Reid.' _He sent out the single word thought, his eyes switching completely to black.

Reid looked up and around, finally catching the menacing gaze of Caleb. He smirked.

'_Reid. She's not a pet. She won't start purring if you keep petting her like that so stop.'_

Reid's smile widened. _'**Yeah, I know, but I do love a good challenge...'**_

'_I'm asking you to back off.'_

Reid laughed and Caleb could hear it clearly in his own head. **_'Yeah right...'_**

Caleb gritted his teeth. _'I don't like seeing her get pawed by some punk ass playboy.'_

'**_Ooh, ouch, that really hurt, Cay.' _**Reid shrugged.** '_Besides, last time I checked, she didn't call you back, so what tells me that she's even interested in you?'_**

'_We're fine.'_

'_**Look, my man, I'm just showing her how to play pool. It's all innocent fun.'**_

Caleb sighed, rolling his eyes. _'I've seen how you show pretty girls how to play pool and I'm more than surprised that you haven't fathered any children that way.'_

Another laugh on Reid's part. **_'Don't be jealous, Caleb.'_**

'_Reid.' _Caleb's voice was deep, menacing. It was a tone that said he was serious, no playing around this time and unless Reid wantedto see the full effect of his Powers, he should back away from Sheila, slowly and NOW. A tone that no matter how you labeled him, he was the leader of the pack and when it came to matters that involved Sheila, he wasn't taking shit from anyone. _'I said back off!' _And with that, he sent out a good size ball of furious Power at Reid.

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Reid stumbled, his grip on Sheila slipping away as he fought against Caleb's Powers. He cursed, wiping a hand roughly across his face.

"That son of a bitch."

Sheila furrowed her eyebrows. She had only heard the conversation on his part, his thoughts filtering into her head, but knew that it was with Caleb and figured the boy had done something to ensure her safety. She threw a glance over her shoulder at Caleb. He was staring at them from across Nicky's, a smug, satisfied look on his face. She turned back to Reid.

"What's wrong?"

Reid shook his head. "Nothing." But to Tyler, he whispered "He Used on me. He's Bonding with her, I can feel it." He paused. "I can also smell him on her."

"You sure?" Reid nodded and Tyler bit his bottom lip in concern. "Do you think he's Marked her yet?"

"No way." Reid slid an unconcerned look over Sheila (who went back to leaning over the table, practicing her shots), her neck bare and exposed. He could see no visible bruises or teeth marks and let out an inner sigh of relief. "Believe me, when a warlock Claims a female, all other males know."

Sheila let out a frustrated sigh. For just one freakin' second, she wanted to forget everything going on around her. No lawyers, no school, no boy problems. She wanted to have fun, unemotional and unattached and she figured she could at least get a smidge of that with Tyler and Reid, since they were supposedly sleeping together (she had yet to prove it, although she was _almost _convinced that what she heard in their dorm room the other day was not her imagination...).

She straightened her stance and turned, poking Reid right in the crack of his ass with her pool stick. He jumped with a tiny yelp, turning to glare at her as he rubbed blue chalk from his jeans.

"You got a death wish, female?"

She put on her most innocent of smiles and discreetly threw a playful wink at Tyler over Reid's shoulder. Sheila shrugged. "What? I thought you liked it like that...?" Reid opened his mouth to retaliate with an equally nasty comment, but she interrupted him. "We playing or what, Blondie?"

He waved a dismissive hand in the air. "Yeah, yeah."

"I have an idea." Tyler piped in.

"What, Baby Boy?"

"How about you against us?"

Sheila nodded. "Yeah, Reid, that sounds like fun."

Reid pondered, his fingerless gloved hands tapping idly against his chin. What did he have to lose? No money was at stake, she had never played before, and Tyler was below average compared to him. He would gain praise from a new conquest (Sheila) and put all those non-believers (Because amazingly, there still were some) in their places. He shrugged. It was a win-win. "Okay." He removed his hoodie, revealing a black ACDC shirt underneath, and threw it on a nearby barstool. "Let's do this. I have yet to lose a game."

Sheila smirked at him, placing a hand on his forearm before he reached for the triangle the balls were set in. "Hey wait. You have an-" She plucked something from his pale cheek, her action gentle and deliberate. "-eyelash..."

Reid blinked at her kindness. "Thanks."

"Here." She held out her pointer finger, the eyelash balanced delicately on the tip in front of his surprised mouth. "Make a wish."

He eyeballed her for a moment and when she didn't move, he grabbed her wrist gently, pulling her body closer, and blew out, his breath sweet from his flavored cigarettes. Her breath faltered, his exhalation fanning over her face and down her neck.

"What did you wish for?"

He smiled, reaching up with his other hand, and uncurled her fingers. Electric blue eyes never leaving hers, he leaned down, brushing his lips across her palm's skin. His eyes flashed. "Are you still wearing underwear?" He whispered against her palm.

Sheila laughed, the sound a childlike melody overriding the many shot glasses being slammed onto the counter tops some 5 feet away. She placed her free hand gently on his waist, hooking a thumb through a belt loop in his jeans, and pulled herself closer to him, their pelvises brushing. She brought her mouth to his ear, the tip of her velvet tongue sneaking a taste of his lobe.

"Who said I was wearing any in the first place...?"

With that said, Reid (for the second time that night) was struck dumb.

Sheila turned from him and prodded Tyler, who seemed to be in some kind of trance, with her pool stick. _'Hey this thing does have use after all...' _She smiled. "Rack 'em up, Blue Eyes, let's knock the king off his throne, shall we?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You said you've never played before!"

Reid was livid. No, strike that. The guy was fucking pissed. Not only did he lose, but now had to endure the endless tirade of giggles and teasing from Sheila _and_ Tyler. Reid sneered, his aura practically hell bent on revenge of any kind.

Sheila wiped the tears from her eyes, her stomach hurting, she was laughing so much, her breath still not catching. She didn't lie about the pool playing part, but forgot to mention that she could feel the shift in the air every time one of the Sons was about to Use and figured that Reid, a hot shot at everything, would try to cheat to prove that he was indeed the best, and she was right. So, she gave him a taste of his own medicine, countering all his Power moves with ones of her own.

He didn't stand a chance...

She took a deep, controlled breath, her eyes absolutely sparkling with triumphant mischief. She put on a fake surprised face. "I did...? Oh! I thought you said chess. That I've never played."

Reid narrowed his eyes, but Tyler's hand on his shoulder stopped him from advancing on her. "Another game, any one?" Tyler, always the peace maker...

Sheila nodded. "Definitely, but first, a bathroom break." She leaned her pool stick against the table. "Set it up. I'll be back in a sec."

Reid quietly watched her go, his anger slowly subsiding.

"So, Reid..." Tyler playfully slapped his friend on the back. "How does it feel to give up your undefeated streak to a girl?"

Reid curled his hands into fists, his annoyance spiking once more, and it took all of his willpower not to drive one into Tyler's handsome, mocking face.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sheila was exiting the bathroom, her hands washed and wiped dry, the paper towel a soggy wad of trash in her fist, when she felt the faint trickle of someone invading her mind. She stopped, her senses on high alert, the hairs on the back of her neck trying desperately to detach themselves from her goose bumps.

She had only gotten this feeling once before in her life and knew that this time wouldn't turn out any different than the other. She gulped, readying herself for the worst, her muscles (and eyes, which were now turned the color of wet tar) in attack mode.

"Hello, My Lady."

Sheila took in a deep breath and turned slowly around to face the voice. Her eyes fell upon a boy her age, someone she had seen around school, hanging in Aaron's circle. His hair was curly and golden blonde, face like that of a Spartan warrior, hard and determined. Although he was much smaller than the some of the other boys on the swim team, he was still bigger and taller than she was and Sheila, looking at his towering form, lost all confidence and shrank quietly against the wall.

Her eyes darted wildly around the small, cramped hallway that led to the bathrooms, the chaotic scene of the bar a mere five feet away. But if no one noticed the athletic menace looming over her then they sure as hell didn't see her tiny form crouching in the corner. She gulped, her mind racing with possible escape routes. _'It's okay, just relax. I've been gone awhile, Reid and Tyler will surely come looking for me soon...'_

The boy grinned at her as if he had read her thoughts, his skin tight and tinged gray against his skull. And those eyes... Milky white and glazed...

"What do you want?"

The boy's smile widened, passing beyond the limits of any normal grin, his lips cracking and blood trickling from the stretch. He cupped the front of his jeans, stroking the hard length that had gone unnoticed to her until now.

"I thought that part was always obvious... And the fact that your so close to your catamenial period makes this experience so much sweeter..."

She licked her lips. _'Keep him distracted...' _"But why me?" He didn't answer her, instead he walked right up to her, pushing a knee between her thighs, his heavy body pressing suggestively into hers. He lowered his head, his nose brushing her jaw, nuzzling her. She felt the soft, moist stroke of his tongue go up her neck, heard the animalistic groan that escaped him.

"Mmm... You taste as good as you smell..."

She braced her hands carefully on his chest and pushed, but his body was strong, unyielding. She started to squirm beneath him and he smirked against her shoulder, relishing the complete control he had over her. She continued to beat her tiny fists against his body for a few moments, her grunts of frustration fueling his lust.

He suddenly grabbed her hands and lifted them above her head, locking her arms in place, her hands immobile beneath one of his large, powerful hands. Her body slammed violently against the wood paneled wall and she let out a whimper, her muscles stretching, straining under his hold. Strands of wavy, raven colored hair fell into her defiant eyes as she looked at him, her jaw set.

"You never answered my question, Creature." Her voice held no fear, just anger.

His other hand was on her waist now, traveling upward along her side, cupping her breast in a light squeeze. Sweeping up to her neck, it paused, taking the thin strap of her dress beneath his fingers, tips moving in idle circles upon her skin.

He gave her a toxic smile. "Your father was such a delectable treat that I opted for seconds from the Lamont family tree..."

Sheila's heart pace quickened. _'Her father...' _So she was correct in her suspicions. This was the same Creature she encountered the day of the accident. The day her father died. She looked up and into the soulless eyes of the poor, high school boy that was held captive by such a vile thing. The same Creature that killed her father...

"Why are you here? Who controls you?"

The Creature tsked. "All in due time, my pet. But first, we have some fun."

A dry male voice cut through the cramped hallway. "That girl in the alley didn't sate your lust, Justin, so now you come in here to prey on the likes of this innocent lady. Nicky would be pissed if you had sex in his hallway." Aaron bristled at the static magic in the air, the currents flowing passed him in heavy waves. He gulped. There was something definitely unnatural going on in here...

Sheila let out a long sigh, half in relief, the other half in frustration. She reached out to Aaron with her mind although she knew the action was hopeless.

'_Help me, help me please...!'_

Her mind was churning out every possible escape route, most of them ending up with her seriously injured... Or worse... Dead... She closed her eyes. If she couldn't see the Creature or the current situation, she could concentrate better. And it worked, her mind focusing itself on a dominant component.

It was nothing elaborate. Just one word. A name.

Her eyes snapped open and she said the thought out loud, her hopes soaring.

"Caleb."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The thought slammed into his head, right between the eyes and down his back, leaving a chill in its drive. Caleb put himself on pause, lowering the bottle of water from his lips, his breath held, his eyes darting, searching wildly for the body to go with the voice.

'_Help me, help me please!'_

It was desperate and full of fear, the plea twisting his features to deep concern. The voice sounded distant and morphed, like it was coming through a muffled stereo speaker.

'_Caleb!' _

He twisted his entire body to the right with such force he almost knocked Pogue over, who had come up beside him, laughing. Caleb lifted his nose, tilting his head to the side, sniffing, searching. He looked over at the pool table that Reid and Tyler were still screwing around at and saw that they were one person short. _'Sheila...' _The deep boom of a growl formed in his throat.

"Cay?" Pogue saw the tension in his best friend's body, his eyebrows furrowed together in concentration. "Caleb? Are you- Are you growling?" The sounds of Caleb's growls increased, the smell of apples and spice permeating the air.

'_Caleb! Where are you? Help me! Caleb!' _

Caleb clenched his hands into tight fists, his search for Sheila growing desperate. He knew the sound of her voice. Knew she was in some fierce trouble. He knew it was her although he couldn't explain why he was able to hear her in his head, all things he would consider later.Right now his main concern was to find her, to save her.

"Hey, my man, your game's on." Pogue clapped a hand to Caleb's shoulder only to pull it away quickly as Caleb pivoted and snapped at his hand. The sound of his jaw clamping shut mingling with the groans of frustration coming from him was enough to suck any joy from Pogue's mind.

Pogue leaped back, assuming a battle stance. "Caleb, what the fuck is your problem?" He paused, took a closer look at his friend. "Holy shit." He swallowed his shock. "Cay, your eyes... They're..." He reached out, but Caleb shrugged him off.

"Sheila's in trouble." His voice was gravelly, worried, eyes pleading. "Help me find her." He turned, pushing his way through the throng of writhing bodies toward Reid and Tyler.

"Wait! Caleb! Your eyes are-"

Caleb cut him off. "You coming or not, Parry?"

Pogue blinked. Let out a long breath. "Yeah. I'm coming..." He threw a shrug at Chase, who was watching the situation with mild concern. He opened his mouth, but Pogue shook his head before he could ask. "Nah, we got it." He gave the boy a small smile. "Find Kate for me. Make sure she's safe if anything goes down, true?"

Chase nodded and watched Pogue follow the uneven trail Caleb formed in his anger.

**A/N: **This chapter is the longest thus far and was a hell of a lot longer than I originally planned. I actually was supposed to have something else happen at the end of this one, but that's been bumped to the next chapter. So next: More Nicky's (again!)! Please review!!!


	20. The Boot Licker

**A/N: **Here's the next one! Please enjoy and review!Come on double digits!!!

**CHAPTER 20:**

**The Boot Licker**

"Justin, what are you doing?" Aaron took a few cautious steps forward, his right hand fondling the strap of his watch, and the fear easing through Sheila's mind quickly changed her eyes back to its sapphire blue.

She turned her head to look at Aaron, but the Creature caught her chin with its fingertips, forcing her gaze to lock with his. She could still see Aaron out of her peripheral vision, his face beautiful concern as he watched his "friend" fondle her, her body quivering with fear beneath his touch.

The Creature leaned further down, its teeth and rank breath grazing over her ear. "I'm going to ignore him and if you do the same, we can both make him disappear..."

"No." A simple answer, a big mistake. The hand on her throat constricted, blocking the flow of oxygen into her body. She let out a tiny yelp and the Creature's hand tightened. Her shaking increased, fear and anticipation mingling with her Powers just below her skin's surface, aching for release.

"Let her go." Aaron's voice was firm, authoritative. Multiple dots flared in front of Sheila's eyes, her breaths becoming shorter and more desperate, her vision blurring, his grip bruising. She could feel her arms above her head weakening as she slipped out of consciousness.

Aaron uttered a deep, guttural sound of anger and tapped the face of his watch three times, the diamond encrusted piece letting off a small, ambient light, words in another language pouring from his mouth in a rapid fire.

Although Sheila was barely hanging on the edge, she recognized the words, the language heard as a child in fleeting memories of broken conversations from her father to another man that never showed his face, only a voice.

Aaron was casting a spell.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Caleb stalked to the pool table with the ease and confidence of a jungle cat hunting its unsuspecting prey. Without saying a word, he snatched the white cue ball from the green surface of the table and tossed it casually in the air and caught it lightly, breaking Reid's shot and concentration.

"Caleb, what the hell?!" Reid looked at his friend. Saw the tension. The unease. His eyes. He took a timid step back. "Whoa... What's going on?" And for the first time since he could remember, Reid was scared.

Caleb slammed the ball onto the table, causing the other three boys to wince from the loud noise.

"Where is she?"

Reid chanced a peek at Pogue, who was standing just behind Caleb, tentative and battle ready. He licked his lips. "Who?"

Caleb gritted his teeth in frustration. "Sheila. Where is she?" His eyes darted to Tyler, his next victim, if Reid gave him the wrong answer.

"She's in the bathroom. Why? Is everything okay?"

Caleb frowned and bumped into the blonde boy as he brushed roughly passed him. "No."

Tyler followed after him with a shrug, the unsaid command that he was needed coming off of Caleb's body language in threatening waves. Pogue went to trail behind him, but Reid caught his elbow, stopping him.

"Pogue, what the fuck's going on? What was wrong with his eyes?" Reid shifted his gaze from the long haired boy's, his eyes falling to the top of his shoes. "Why were they red?"

Pogue sighed. "I really don't know, man. I think it has something to do with the whole Bonding process."

Reid's head snapped up. "So you noticed it too, huh?" Pogue nodded. "Can we stop it?"

"No. Once a male of our Power Bonds, that's it. They're Bonded for life." He paused. "We don't really have a choice actually. When we meet the girl, we know and the whole thing happens fast and strong. He's already started and he'll probably finish it."

"What'll happen if he Claims her?"

"Well, I don't think Sheila's the kind of girl that gives it up that easily, but when or if she does, she better accept him with her whole heart."

Reid pondered that for a moment. "And what happens if she doesn't?"

Pogue frowned. "He dies..." A beat of silence and then Pogue threw a heavy arm around Reid's, steering him towards the bathrooms. "Come on. He needs us."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aaron was casting a spell.

A Banishing spell to be exact but before he could finish it, the Creature pulled Sheila from the wall and turned her roughly around, her back pressing into his heaving chest, her arms falling to her sides, one of his heavy ones wrapped tightly around her torso. She swallowed, her eyes never leaving Aaron's, desperate pleas skimming the surface.

'_Please don't do anything stupid.' _

The Creature hissed, pushing Sheila forward a bit, using her as a makeshift shield. "You don't know who you're fooling with, boy." It spat. Aaron's words and movements faltered as the Creature's arm that wasn't constricting her air flow crept seductively along the neckline of her dress, his finger and nails elongating into razor sharp talons. Aaron blinked and swallowed back his fear as he watched the foul hand draw lazy patterns across the skin of her chest.

The Creature turned his head into her hair, taking in a deep breath, his lungs expanding with the smell of her dread and disgust. His voice was a whisper upon her skin, the sound like huge rocks spinning around in a cement barrel, hard and unpleasantly harsh.

"You have no idea the kind of Power that's been bestowed upon you, pretty girl. The joining of a succubus and warlock is nothing but a legend in our world. The legend of the Ladies and the Sons. Some would even call such a mating blasphemous." He grinned against her ear. "But sometimes, my Lady, the unthinkable happens."

He snuck a peek at Aaron from between strands of her hair. The other boy was standing a few feet closer to them now, his watch completely off, ready and able in his hands. "Imagine it. You have the Power to seduce your prey, make them feel safe, bend them to your very will, sucking the energy your pleasure brings to them right out. Life forces are a delicate subject in our world, but with you..." He paused. "With you, the world is at your feet. To be able to Claim you and gain that Power for thyself and control it..." The Creature growled its appreciation at all the possible outcomes of such a situation.

Sheila furrowed her eyebrows. "I don't understand... What is a Lady?"

The Creature narrowed its eyes, giving her a once over in a sidelong glance. "You mean you do not know?" Sheila shook her head and the Creature muttered a fiery expletive and something that suspiciously sounded like 'Stupid, uneducated vermin.'. "My oh my, quite the predicament you're in, my Lady." He laughed and Sheila found herself growing severely annoyed.

"What's so funny?" She asked through gritted teeth.

The Creature opened its mouth to respond, but stopped, his mouth clamping shut, nose stabbing the air as it sniffed, its face contorting in worry. "The one that has Bonded with you approaches..."

"Who?" She sighed. "And what's this 'Bonded' thing?"

The Creature fidgeted nervously behind her, its panic a thick cloud stifling the air. "I must take my leave before _she_ figures out I've been in contact with you. But before I do..." The hold on her loosened and Sheila greedily sucked in a deep gulp of air. "You must know, my Lady, that danger is lurking around every corner here in Ipswich. Do not believe every thing and everyone you encounter. Most are not what they seem." Sheila threw the Creature a pointed, 'You think?' look and it sighed. "I know, I know. I'm no different." It paused. "But if the evil that makes up the other half of the Bonded male that so rapidly approaches us obtains just a fraction of your Powers, the magical world as you and I know it, will no longer be the same. The contract will be fulfilled one way or another."

"Contract?"

The Creature shushed her. "I shall leave you with this bit of advice, my Lady." The Creature looked at her for a moment, sadness and panic shimmering in its milky eyes. "Choose your Son wisely for it seems there is not only one, but _two,_ capable of Claiming you. Two Sons sprung from the same filthy seed."

Tears pricked her eyes as the words of the Creature registered in her mind. Anger mixed with helplessness and relief. She took a deep breath. Every thing her father ever told her, his ramblings and rants about Covenants and Darklings was all true. Every fucking word.

'_Use it to your advantage... The day will come when one day you're going to need it to save your very life…' _Her father's words...

Sheila let out a fiery curse. She always thought he was crazy... I mean she knew she was different, but this... Legends and magical worlds depending on her... It was all too much... Too... Unbelievable...

"You're heart is beating fast, my Lady." The Creature's voice was like acid and she winced against the noise. He lowered it to a whisper. "Are you frightened?"

She swallowed, tears stinging her eyes and clogging her throat, and her shaking increased. "Yes..." She wanted to be honest with the Creature. Wanted it to know that she wasn't a liar although she was going to put it through a very painful, very controlled death.

"You should be... _She _won't stop until your blood is spilt..." A rough stroke of a tongue, feeling much like a cat's, wet her ear. "_She _knows who you are... _She _watches you... Stalks you... Craves you..."

"Are _you_ frightened, Creature?"

The Creature let out what sounded like a mix between a bark and a laugh. "Never."

Sheila knew he couldn't see the smirk of satisfaction on her face so she made it as big as possible, not even trying to hide the smugness in her voice. "Then why won't you say her name?"

"Who's?"

She locked eyes with Aaron, using her hands to give him subtle hints to what she was planning. "The one who controls you." Aaron gave her a slight nod to indicate that he understood and Sheila shifted slightly in the Creature's arms. "Always licking her shoes, I bet." She paused. "Is that why your breath smells like shit?"

The Creature grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her head back with a growl. "You have a smart mouth, young one, just like your father did."

He swiveled her abruptly to the left, her face making hard contact with the wood paneled wall. Her breathing quickened, the panic setting in once again as she felt the Creature undoing his belt buckle, his other heavy arm pinning her down. Jeans dropping to the floor, he snaked an arm around to her front, his hand traveling roughly across her breasts and down her stomach. She heard Aaron shuffle closer to her.

"Aaron, don't." She licked her lips, felt his hesitation. "It'll hurt you more if you do it now."

"Listen to her, Aaron, she's a smart girl." The Creature's hand spanned the length of her thigh and between her legs, pushing the fabric of her skirt and panties aside. Its fingertips brushed the edges of her core, its pants of approval fueling her anger. "Smart girl... With such a smart, pretty mouth..." A taloned finger dipped into her and she let out a sob of disgust. "I bet you taste _so_ sweet... Smart mouth... Just like your father..."

His finger started moving in her and Sheila gritted her teeth, tears rolling down her cheeks. "You forgot one thing, Creature."

He had started shadow humping her, the front of his jeans rubbing ferociously against her backside, his finger probing, scratching, invading. "And what's that, my sweet?"

She had to brace her feet to the ground to keep from falling over. "I take after my mother..."

Sheila spanned her palms against the wall and pushed... hard. Struggling against the hold on her, the Creature grunted with exasperation as her elbows connected with its sides. Fuck this shit. If something really was going down within the Covenant and she was the epicenter of it all, she sure as hell was going to figure out what it was and why. She fought harder, her hits more targeted, more accurate. She was not about to become a snack for some pathetic Creature sent here to scare (which was working by the way) the shit out of her.

The Creature's hold loosened. Aaron watched in amused surprise as she took the Creature's momentary disorientation as a chance to seize her escape. She quickly turned in the Creature's hold and violently gave him a shove, but not before the Creature lashed out a taloned hand with a hiss, his sharp nails connecting and breaking the skin on her upper arm and chest.

Sheila let out a surprised yelp, covering her wounds hastily with her hands, her Power surging forward as she felt the first of the Creature's poisons seep beneath her skin. She fell to her knees with a gasp, her vision blurring, surroundings spinning. She held her hands in front of her face. They were dripping wet.

Blood... So much blood...

Aaron, thankful that she was (for the moment) out of harm's way, tapped his watch again three times in rapid succession, the ancient words flowing from his mouth in a long, harsh breath, the Creature spitting and cowering further into the small hallway. Aaron cocked his arm back, taking aim, and threw the watch the short expanse of the hall. It hit with deadly accuracy, right between the Creature's white eyes, the impact throwing its head back with a howl.

The light from the spell lit the hall with blinding brilliance, the two other occupants who weren't writhing in pain on the ground, shutting their eyes tight to keep it out.

And then... nothing. The silence deafening. Sheila's tiny whimpers and Aaron's harsh breathing the only thing that could be heard as Sheila lay on the ground, her arms flung protectively over her head. She heard some shuffling, a groan.

"What's going on?" Justin.

"Wrong place, wrong time, my friend." Aaron, his voice harsh, yet sympathetic. "Go on, get out of here, you lucky son of a bitch, and don't ever let me hear about you and some random girl again."

A shove from Aaron and Justin stumbled out of the hallway and into the chaotic bar scene, holding his head in his hands, blending flawlessly into the crowd, looking more like he was hung over and wasn't just possessed by a dark Creature. Sheila felt a tentative hand brush her shoulder, Aaron's hoarse voice slicing through the silence.

"Are you okay?"

She hesitantly lowered her arms from her eyes, blinking rapidly to adjust them to the dirty, hallway light and nodded, the action pulling muscles she didn't even know she had in her neck. She winced, rubbing them with her palms.

Aaron touched a hand to one scratch and Sheila bit her lip to keep from crying out. "You need a Healer." It was not a question.

She shrugged his hand away. "No, it'll be fine... I just need-" She attempted to stand, but the room spun violently around her, so she resided to slumping haphazardly against the wall, her right leg stretching out in front of her. She let out a long breath to ease the pain. "-to concentrate a little harder..." She closed her eyes, feeling Aaron's warm breath upon her face as he closely examined her wounds.

"Can I ask a favor of you, Aaron?"

Aaron ran his eyes over her and finally decided that she couldn't possibly hurt him (much) in her current state and he nodded.

"May I borrow some of your Energy?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'll just touch you. Not much, a fingertip to your skin will do, and acquire some of your Energy. Your life force."

"Life force? That sounds serious."

She shook her head. "It's not. You'll feel tired for an hour or two, but it'll come back to you. Eat chocolate, it helps."

A moment of silence as Aaron pondered his decision. Finally, he nodded. "Okay, I'll help you." He paused. "But only a little..."

Sheila smiled, reaching out to him. "I don't think I can move much. Let me see your hand." He held out his arm, palm down, and she gingerly placed it over her scratches, careful not to rip the skin further open. She felt a heated spark, not so different from the ones she felt when she touched any of the Sons, but less intense, felt the heat of his Energy surging into her. She closed her eyes, the wounds on her chest sealing closed, her heart slowing to its normal beat.

After a few minutes, Aaron swayed on his knees and she immediately let him go, taking too much for him to handle, but not enough to heal all her aches and emotional wounds. She opened her eyes slightly to slits and smiled up at him.

"Thank you..."

He nodded. A beat of silence passed and Aaron jumped when her voice, barely above a whisper, rang through the cramped hallway.

"I met your father once, you know. At some fancy banquet my dad's firm got tickets to." She looked at him, her eyes glowing. "It was a brief conversation. You know, the norm, asking me about school and what not, but in those few minutes, I could feel something within him. Something... not good..." She paused, swallowing back the dryness in her throat. "I shook his hand, but never found out what it was, never delved into his thoughts because a couple of sentences into our conversation, some botoxed, blonde Betty swept him away, my contact with him disengaging." She reached out and gave Aaron's hand a light squeeze and he jumped at the contact. The touch was intimate, caring, something he didn't feel often enough in his life. "But I do know one thing, you are not like him. You're a good person, Aaron Abbott." She tapped his chest lightly with her fingertips. "In here. Don't ever forget that and don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise..." A shudder ran through her then, her arm falling away from him. "You're a good person..." Her voice fleeting.

Aaron turned his head slightly to the side as he removed his polo shirt, not wanting her to see the tears that had sprung up in his eyes from her confession. It was something he had always wanted to hear, preferably from his father, but from her, he knew they were honest words. His heart reached out to her, not in a lover way, but as a friend, and with acceptance, the same way she reached out to him. As a person...

Despite the cold of the tiled floor beneath her shaking body, she could feel his body's warmth as he removed his over shirt, rumpling it into a useful ball of fabric and pressed it gently to her scratches. She sighed her appreciation, but before she could even fully open her eyes, she felt a trickle of liquid flow down her thigh. She furrowed her eyebrows and carefully maneuvered her skirt out of the way for a better look. She gasped. There was blood there too, on her leg, staining her panties. Her lips trembled as she reached down and touched herself, the crimson inking her fingertips.

"Oh my God..." Tears dampened her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Aaron shifted a few inches away from her.

She held out her hands to the light in order to give him a better look and Aaron inhaled a sharp breath. Running a hand roughly across his face, he fingered the edge of her skirt and looked at her, asking silent permission. She nodded and he lifted her skirt just slightly. Seeing the blood on her leg and underwear made him queasy and he quickly eased the fabric back down, covering her bruises and blood.

"Aaron..."

He looked at her. Saw the fear in her eyes, heard it in her voice. She needed reassurance and, at the moment, he was the only one that could, and should, provide that for her. He cupped a hand to her face, a gesture meant to comfort her, his thumb rubbing soothingly over her dirt-covered face.

"Here..." He removed his shirt from her chest and placed it lightly on her thigh, blotting the blood gently away. "Does it hurt? Is, uh... anything sore...?" She shook her head. "Good, you're not contaminated." He gave her a small smile. "Everything's going to be okay, I promise..."

A voice that sounded millions of miles away rang out, angry and deafening, through the hall, a stampede of footsteps rushing towards her.

"What the fuck is going on here!?"

Sheila let out the breath she was holding. _'Caleb...' _Relief and anxiety flushed through her. She felt and heard Aaron shuffle hastily away from her, his bloody shirt dropping onto the floor with a soft thud.

"Caleb, it's not what it looks like, man."

A low growl emitted from Caleb's chest as he lunged forward, his fists swinging, eyes screaming bloody murder.

**A/N: **Thought that would be a good place to stop because 1) I'm sick of looking at this chapter and 2) I thought I'd give you kiddies something to read in between all the good stuff! Review please! Next chapter: FIGHT! FIGHT!! FIGHT!!!


	21. Jacob & Co

**A/N: **Go ahead... You know you want to read it...

**CHAPTER 21:**

**Jacob & Co.**

Sheila quickly scrambled to her feet, her back pressing against the wall as Caleb surged violently passed her, the heat from his anger almost scorching her skin. She reached an arm out to catch his elbow.

"Caleb, wait. He didn't do anything." Caleb turned his eyes to her and she abruptly let go of his elbow with a squeak. His eyes... _'The one that has Bonded with you approaches...' _She swallowed, trying to compose herself, running a hand roughly over her front to smooth out her dress. The action stretched her scratches to their limit and she winced. A fleeting look of concern crossed Caleb's face, but it was gone faster than it came. "Please... It's not what it looks like..." Her voice was quiet, the look, the color of his eyes scaring her into mousy obedience.

Caleb narrowed his eyes. _'The fuck it didn't.' _

When he turned the corner to the hallway that led to the bathrooms, he was literally seeing red. Already shaking with anger at the fact that Reid and Tyler had let her out of their sight, what he saw in the hall nearly made his head explode.

There she was, lying on the floor, legs sprawled everywhere, looking more than a little drunk, the front of her dress shredded to ribbons, the peach colored flesh of her breasts (though not fully exposed, no hint of a nipple, thank God) peeking innocently through holes in the fabric. Her neck and face were bruised, blue and black marks dotting a road map along her chest, arms, and yes, on her thighs.

Caleb was livid.

The bruises were one thing, but the blood... So much blood... He had walked into what looked like a massacre. Sheila was practically covered head to toe in it and he would bet his life that it was all hers. Caleb clenched his hands into hard fists, his knuckles turning white.

Aaron didn't have a fucking scratch on him.

He had found Aaron straddling her, his shirt off, sweat rolling off him like he had just run a thousand miles, one hand on her face, the other on her thigh, hands that were covered in blood, _her _blood. Caleb took a deep breath. Maybe it wasn't what it looked like, but the mere fact of Aaron possibly kissing her lips, feeling her body under his hands...

Caleb emitted a low growl, followed by a curse. _'She's mine.'_

"Caleb?" Her voice returned his thoughts to the present moment and for a second, just the sound of it made his heart flutter. He focused his gaze on her. Raised a hand to brush strands of hair from her face. Lowered his head to whisper in her ear.

"Go with Tyler. He'll keep you safe." A kiss to her cheek, then a nod to Tyler.

She managed to give him a stern 'No' before Tyler stepped forward, tugging her hand, pulling her away from the wall, her eyes never leaving Caleb's face, confusion and anger fueling her Powers. Her eyes flashed as they darted back and forth between the two boys. Tension and testosterone thickened the air like a lightning fueled storm, crackling and banking, the sparkle of dominance dancing across Caleb's eyes.

"No, I don't want to go." She reached out for Caleb, but Tyler pulled her away from him before she could make contact. "Caleb?"

He sighed, his eyes dulling a bit, the sweet, caring gaze that he reserved only for her surfacing across his features. "Go. Please."

She stepped away from him, knowing later that she would regret it, but not wanting to argue (although she was trying desperately to postpone what was definitely going to happen next). She didn't need to ask, shouldn't, really. Caleb was just being a male. Any guy would defend a damsel in distress when given the chance. Sheila sighed. So then why did it feel so wrong...?

She should really say something. She opened her mouth, but no words came out, and she closed it defeated, while wiggling her way into Tyler's jacket as he held it open for her. She mumbled a 'Thanks' and continued letting him drag her away from the scene unfolding before them, Pogue and Reid stepping between her and Caleb, blocking her view of everything, but especially of Caleb. It didn't matter what term you used, dominant or alpha, because Caleb would always be the leader of the pack.

'_This is wrong!' _She let out a frustrated sob. _'This is wrong!' _

She slipped her grasp from Tyler's, stepping forward once more. "Caleb! Caleb! Stop! Please! He didn't do anything! This is wrong! Caleb!" He didn't turn, didn't even make an effort to indicate that he had heard her at all, and Sheila felt the prick of tears in her eyes at his rejection.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aaron licked his lips, his thumb twitching over and over the pads of his other fingers nervously. "What is this really about, Caleb?"

Caleb cocked an eyebrow, surprised that Aaron even had to ask. He did the equivalent of a facial shrug and gave him a little smirk. "Does it really matter? We have unfinished business, you and I, and I'm willing to settle it, right here, right now."

Aaron sniffed. "Fine, whatever, but we do it without your little cronies backing you up." He nodded at Pogue and Reid. "Just me and you."

Reid piped up. "Eat shit, you Abercrombie reject. Maybe Pogue and I are here for our own reasons."

"Yeah, right, Garwin, I can clearly see you _hiding _behind him."

"I'm not hiding, Abbott, Caleb's just holding me back."

"Whatever, faggot."

Reid started, striding forward, pressing his forehead against Aaron's. "You keep using that word, asshole, and I'll show you what it's like to be turned out prison-style." He gave Aaron the trademark Reid smirk, nothing but mischief and evil. "And I ride hard..."

"Reid." Caleb was using his no bullshit tone and Reid hesitantly took a step back, sneering when Aaron threw him a smug look. A beat of silence where the boys did nothing but stare, sizing each other up.

Caleb crossed his arms over his broad chest. "Let me ask you something, Aaron. Is this what you do for fun? Prey on helpless girls while you get off on making them suffer, hitting them, cutting them, making them bleed?" Aaron said nothing, his face hardening with anger. He knew where Caleb was going with this and he didn't appreciate being hit below the belt before the fight even began. Caleb shook his head with a tiny chuckle. "Just like your father..."

He had barely spat out the words when Aaron closed the gap between them, a hard swung fist connecting with Caleb's jaw. Caleb stumbled back, right into Pogue and Reid, and as he struggled to untangle himself from the other two pairs of legs, Aaron advanced on him, was on top of him in mere seconds, his knee coming up and catching Caleb in the side.

Reid and Pogue shuffled out of the way, not wanting to be caught in the fist fire. Caleb coughed, holding his side for a brief moment, focusing his will and Power all on Aaron, anger fueling his brain, shutting down any and all functions that didn't include punching, kicking, throwing, and biting.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sheila gasped as she watched Caleb fall to the ground. She moved forward without thinking, Tyler's hold on her constricting. She looked at his arm, then him, his face was set to determination.

"Tyler, let me go." He shook his head and her jaw dropped, more out of frustration than surprise. She wriggled in his hold, his grunts drowned out by her screams of concern for herself, for Caleb, for Aaron.

The pair of fighting alpha males had somehow shifted passed her without her noticing, the wrestling duo now out of the hallway and into the bar itself, Pogue and Reid following, watching and waiting. People scurried out of the way, a lopsided ring of drunken humans forming around Caleb and Aaron. Some people cheered, some cried out each time a punch connected with flesh, but Nicky... Nicky grabbed his bat.

"Tyler! Stop! Let me go!" Her elbow connected with his neck and Tyler abruptly let go off her, groaning. The release came suddenly and Sheila, not expecting it at all, fell flat on her ass with a thump. She shook her head, her mind blanking. Tyler laughed... almost... at the look on her face. He held a hand out to her, but she ignored it, slipping a bit on her high heels as she stood again, his arms immediately going around her again to hold her back.

"Tyler!"

Tyler's eyes flashed, guilt hammering his chest as he Used on her... But not a lot, just enough to stop her movements and enter her into a somewhat quiet submissive state. He sighed, watching her as she watched the fight, her sobs of anguish wracking both their bodies. Her lips were moving in a whispered chant and he had to lean down to hear her words.

"This is wrong... This is wrong... This is wrong..." She said them over and over again, tears sliding down her cheeks.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aaron's knee got Caleb's side again and as Caleb grunted, he drew his fist back, snapping his arm out and connecting it to Aaron's nose. An explosion of blood flew out of Aaron's nose, a blob of red that hit a nearby tabletop seconds before Aaron's body did. The heavy weight of his muscles alone collapsed the wood of the table beneath him, Aaron landing in a dust cloud of splinters and glass from the half empty mugs sitting on top of it.

Aaron groaned, rolling onto his side, his arms shaking as he righted himself, staring defiantly at Caleb.

"That all you got, Danvers? Thought she meant a bit more than a one-night stand to you?"

Caleb's control snapped, his eyes glittering furiously, black and red splotches skimming the surface. He threw out another punch, but Aaron got him first, the hit catching Caleb under his chin and sending him off his feet and to the floor. Aaron barked out a laugh, but Caleb cut it short as he swung a leg out, sweeping Aaron's feet right from under him. Aaron landed flat on his back for the second time that night with a muffled thud, the breath completely knocked out of him.

Caleb sealed the opportunity by scrambling on top of Aaron, gaining the upper hand, fists pumping up and down over Aaron's body, making hard, brutal contact each time. Aaron threw his arms over his face, defeated, taking each blow with a grunt and a sob.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Oh my God, he's not going to stop." Sheila pushed her body against the sea of people floating, unconcerned, in front of her. "Tyler! He's going to kill him! Help him!" She looked back, seeing Tyler staring blankly ahead, Caleb raining hits on Aaron reflecting in his blank eyes. "Tyler!" He shook his head, snapping out of whatever trance that held him. "Tyler! He's going to kill him! You have to stop him! Get Pogue and Reid! Please, help Aaron! Help your friend, _your brother_, stay out of jail!"

Tyler dumbly nodded, brushing roughly passed her and through the crowd, leaving her alone in the tiny, dark hallway. She tried desperately to see what was happening through the gaps of arms. _'Fuck. This crowd is like a damn phalanx.' _Blocking her view of everything and everyone.

It was the beeping that brought her attention to the end of the hallway. She walked cautiously to the corner of it, throwing quick glances over her shoulders to make sure no one saw her, and bent down, picking up Aaron's watch. Pushing the button on the side to shut off the alarm, she carefully turned the beautifully designed (and definitely expensive) Jacob & Co. watch over in her hands, the silver of the band catching the lights overhead.

She furrowed her eyebrows, running her fingertips over the back of it. Something was scrawled there, rubbed down by the friction of metal against skin and sweat. She squinted, angling it away from the light for a better look.

She gasped, nearly dropping the watch. _'Holy fucking shit.' _

'J.L.D.'

It said J.L. fucking D.

'_Holy fucking shit.' _She knew this watch, had heard that beeping somewhere before not too long ago. She focused her memories on trying to remember and when she did, she inhaled a breath so sharp, it caused her to cough.

The boy... The boy in the woods... This is his watch...

"_Oh crap...'_

She clasped the watch protectively to her chest, then, with another quick glance over her shoulder, shoved it unceremoniously into Tyler's jacket pocket, walking to the edge of the crowd, skirting it around the bar and finally finding a hole in the wall of bodies.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It took the combined effort of Tyler, Reid, and Pogue to wrestle the hyped up Caleb off of Aaron. Even after they had detached his brutal weight from the bloodied boy, Reid and Tyler each holding one of his legs, Pogue had his chest and arms, Caleb hovering at least three feet in the air, like they were playing some sick, drunken game of Superman or something, Caleb still swung his fists out, his angry yells and curses echoing throughout the cramped bar.

Sheila let out a shaky sigh, hearing her name leave Caleb's lips more than once in his rants. The fight was over and with a few drunken cheers, the people that occupied Nicky's quietly dispersed, revved from the combined mix of the fight, alcohol, and the Harlan Hunters.

Sheila threw a look at Nicky, the huge, brick wall-esque, bald man practically seething behind the bar. He walked around it, gripping his bat, the end of it knocking a deadly rhythm in the palm of his meaty hand.

"Five seconds to get the fuck out of my bar, ladies. And I don't want to see your ugly mugs in here for at least 2 weeks, clear?"

The Sons, save for Caleb, all nodded, Aaron, who was slowly coming back to consciousness, grumbled a slurred 'Whatever' in Nicky's direction. Nicky's face softened, walking over to Aaron and held out a hand, helping him unsteadily to his feet.

"Go home. Get yourself cleaned up, okay, Aaron?" Nicky paused, lowered his voice. "You know I'm going to have to tell your dad about this right?"

"Bruce is _not _my father, Nicky." He shook his arm from Nicky's hold, stumbling towards the exit at the back of the bar, where no one would care to follow. "My dad's dead, remember?"

Sheila watched him go, torn between following him and asking him about the watch and chewing Caleb's ass off for not listening to her. Her decision was made for her a moment later when Caleb escaped from the hold the Sons had on him and strode quickly to her. She took a cautious step back, afraid of the person she had just seen, and his steps faltered, slowed.

He reached out to her and she flinched. Caleb's eyebrows slammed together, his mouth going tight, his expression no longer soft. He took hold of her hand forcibly, threading his fingers with hers, and pulled her close, wrapping his heavy arms around her tiny frame.

"You're okay..." He was on the brink of breaking down completely, she could hear it in his voice.

Sheila grunted as she absorbed his weight, squirming out of his hug and took a few steps back, her eyes wide, chest rising and falling a bit too fast.

He let go of her hand. "Why are you afraid of me?" His voice was low, soft. It bothered him immensely that she was now shying away from his touch. He had come to her open and honest (well, except for the whole Covenant thing) and he expected, needed, her to do the same. To accept him. He rubbed a hand roughly across his face, blood from a busted lip smearing across his chin and cheek.

"_Are_ you afraid of me?"

Sheila sucked in a deep breath, taking another step away from him. Studying him from a distance, she took in his appearance. Brown hair clinging to his forehead with sweat, broad chest rising and falling from adrenaline and exhaustion, lips and one eye almost swollen shut from numerous punches.

And then there were his hands. Hands that were capable of bludgeoning a boy that was at least 20 or 30 pounds heavier than him. Hands that had broken a wooden bar table without hesitation. Threw punches without restraint, without control.

She stared at his perfect swimmer's hands, the split knuckles, the blood running down in tiny rivers into his palms. He had nearly killed a boy with those things. They were lethal, she knew, she almost saw it happen. Except... He could've used that strength against her at any time if he wanted. But he hadn't. Instead he treated her with such gentility, so caring, and innocent even, in his touches.

She _almost _crumbled at the sight of him before her, but then she remembered how he had gotten that busted lip and bruises. She straightened her stance, buttoning Tyler's jacket the rest of the way up with shaky fingers.

"Go home, Caleb. Get yourself cleaned up." She brushed passed him, head down, and walked over to Pogue, who was standing a few feet away, trying to reason with Nicky. She tapped his shoulder and he turned, a surprised look crossing his face.

"Hey, you okay?"

Sheila shook her head. "No, but make sure he gets home, okay?" Pogue just looked at her. "Please. For me?" He nodded and she ducked around a bat wielding Nicky to follow Aaron out the exit door that led to the alley out back.

"Wait." Pogue called after her. "Where are you going?"

"I need to talk to Aaron and make sure he's okay."

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Caleb had followed her to the back corner of the bar, anger flaring in his eyes once more. Sheila looked at anything but him, her anger peaking to meet his. "After what he did to you?!" He reached out for her but she batted his hands away.

"He didn't do anything, Caleb!" Her voice rising. "You kicked his ass for no reason. All he was trying to do was help me."

Caleb's jaw dropped. "Why didn't you tell me this before I tornado destroyed Nicky's bar?!"

Sheila let out a bark of a laugh. "Are you serious?! I was trying to tell you that the whole time!" She stomped her foot and slapped an open palm to his forehead for effect. He winced, balling his hands into fists to keep from hitting anything out of spite. "But no, you're so fucking stubborn, you wouldn't listen to me! What's wrong with you? Are you that damn stupid?" She took a deep breath, her body shaking, trying to control her Power that desperately wanted to wreak havoc on him. "Pogue, take this fool home. I'm done dealing with this shit for tonight."

She turned on her heel, marching confidently towards the exit, and Caleb let out a loud, long, frustrated groan.

"Where are you going?"

"To talk to Aaron, I already said that, but I'm sure you weren't listening then either." She spat.

"No."

"No." She looked at him. "No what? No you weren't listening?" She planted her hands on her hips. "Or no, I can't talk to Aaron?"

"That's right, you can't."

"And who says? _You_?" Caleb nodded and she laughed. "No offense, Caleb, but your decisions don't always turn out with the best results. I'm going to talk to Aaron."

"No."

"_Yes." _She hissed, feeling the bump of the watch in the jacket pocket, the weight of it a burden rubbing against her side."I _want _to talk to him."

Caleb closed the gap between them in less than two strides, his footsteps powerful and fearless. He got so close to her that she felt his breath on her cheek and neck. With him this close, her confidence slowly shrank away, but she eluded the fear by straightening her stance, meeting his hazel gaze with a flash of her sapphire blues.

"You don't know what you want-" His voice was resorting back to that no bullshit tone, the tone that he used on the Sons when he needed, wanted, something to be done fast and accurately. "-but let me tell you something, Sheila,-" He grabbed her squarely by the shoulders, bringing her closer, his breath raking over her ear. "-when you figure it out, guess what?" He pulled back, looking at her, and she stared right back. "It's going to be me..."

He lowered his head, crushing his lips brutally against hers, and she squirmed in his bruising grasp. He let her abruptly go and she stumbled back from the force of his push. She narrowed her eyes and raised her hand.

The slap she delivered to his already swollen cheek sent a shock wave around the little group (Nicky, Tyler, Reid, and Pogue) who stood watching the exchange, keeping their reservations about the situation in silence.

Caleb covered the blow with his hand, sneering. _"Damn, that hurt...' _But the fact that it had come from her, his Sheila, his Lady, hurt more than any slap (or punch) ever could. He frowned, the weight of the situation falling heavily on his mind. He had pushed her, too hard and too fast, and now she was going to walk away from him, chasing after some punk ass kid (who he just happened to dislike) and leave him standing there... alone...

He cursed. _'What have I done?'_

"You son of a bitch! How dare you tell me what I do or do not want!" She gathered Tyler's jacket closer around herself and turned towards the exit once more. "Like it or not, Caleb, but I am still a person. I can make my own fucking decisions!" She pushed open the door, the rusty handle protesting against her force. "Get it through your head, you selfish bastard, I am not an object you can just claim and add to your collection just because you think I'm pretty!" She took a deep breath to steady the tremors that were pulsing through her body. "Just go home, Caleb." She paused, wiping tears from her face and waved her hands dismissively in the air. "Just go..."

Caleb winced as the heavy metal door clanged shut behind her, his shoulders hunching forward a bit, defeated.He felt three different hands touch his back with the innocent reassurance that everything was going to be okay.

He sighed, knowing that it wouldn't be.

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

"Hey. Hey!"

Aaron turned toward the voice and his eyes widened as he saw Sheila strolling towards him.

"What do you want?"

"Can I talk to you about something?"

Aaron scoffed. "Oh, now you've found your voice, huh? How convenient..." Sheila furrowed her eyebrows. "Why didn't you say anything? Look at this shit!" He gestured wildly at his face, his broken nose. "Why didn't you defend me?!"

"I'm sorry! What was I supposed to do? I couldn't tell them about the Creature or your spell casting without exposing myself to them. I just couldn't... I can't... And if you're involved in this somehow, you should know that..."

Aaron nodded. "Yes, I do know that." He paused. "All too well... This damn Covenant and all their secrets and rules." He fished a cigarette (which amazingly were not crushed due to the fight) out of his jean pockets and lit it, taking a deep, long drag, the red tip glowing in the darkness of the alley. He blew out the smoke, shaking his head. "I could give two shits about it to be honest with you." He threw the cigarette on the ground, killing it with the heel of his boot. "What do you want anyway?"

"I wanted to ask you-" She pulled the watch from the pocket and held it out to him. "-about this..."

"What about it?"

"Well, for starters, where did it come from?"

"I thought all girls were huge fashionistas. Check the label, honey. Clearly, it came from Jacob & Co."

Sheila gritted her teeth. She had already slapped one smart ass male tonight and, judging by the dull throbbing in her hand, she really didn't want to add a second one to her list. "I know that. I meant, who gave it to you? Who's J.L.D.?"

Aaron shook his head. "I don't know what you're talking about..."

Sheila turned the watch over in her hand, the dim alley light catching the scrawled letters on the back.

"Don't bullshit me, Aaron. Jacob & Co. only released 300 of this particular design internationally, so whoever bought it had to be extremely rich and powerful. And we both know that everyone in the Covenant has a lot of wealth and are big shot members of society." She licked her lips and shook the watch for emphasis. "Who is J.L.D.?"

Aaron hesitated in his answer, popping the driver's side door to his Range Rover open. "A person that you really shouldn't be concerning yourself with."

Sheila reached out and touched his shoulder before he could close the door. "Wait... I received a box full of journals with these very same initials on them. Journals my father left me in his Will." She sighed. "I'm just trying to get some answers, okay?"

Aaron's face softened and he nodded. "I know, but I'm not the person to give them to you." He took her hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Read the journals... They'll help a lot."

"How do you know?"

Aaron smiled. "I just do..."

"Sheila?"

Sheila turned to see Kate running toward her, concern etched on her face, Chase standing a few feet behind her, leaning against his SUV.

Aaron released her hand. "Your friend is worried about you." He turned the key in his ignition, the start of the engine causing Sheila to jump. "You should go to her." She nodded, holding out the watch for him to take back. He shook his head, smiling. "Take it." He curled her fingers around the watch. "It'll keep you safe..."

"What about you...?"

He closed his car door. "I'll be fine..."

"One more thing..." She licked her lips and he leaned out the window, waiting. "Are you- are you a Son? And if not, how do you know about all this? I thought their Covenant was this huge secret..."

Aaron strapped himself in with his seatbelt, sighing. "It is and my involvement in it is no one's concern but my own. Besides, my debt will soon be paid and I can forget about anything and anyone involved in this. So if you want answers, ask the people that know more about this magic stuff than I do, okay?" Pushing his Range Rover out of Park, he sped away, dirt and rocks kicking up beneath his tires. Sheila blinked away the dust, her mind swimming with more questions than answers.

"Sheila."

Sheila turned, opening her arms wide for Kate to fall into, and gave her a hug, forgetting about everything she had just endured.

"Oh Kate, you're okay."

"Yeah, I've been out here the whole time. Chase has been keeping me company." Kate grabbed her hand. "Come on, he's going to give us a ride back to the dorms." Sheila numbly followed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So what happened in there?"

After a long shower, Sheila and Kate had returned to their quiet dorm to sleep away the drama and alcohol of tonight.

Sheila sighed and told her everything that happened after she had gone to the bathroom (leaving out the part about the Creature, of course).

"Wow." It was all Kate could say. She was utterly stunned. Up until now, the only thing Kate knew was something big was happening with Caleb and that Chase was sent to fetch and protect her. He literally had to drag her off the dance floor as she questioned him nonstop about what was happening, especially since it involved Sheila, her best friend. "I'm sorry, Boo, about Caleb and all..."

Sheila shook her head. "Nah, it'll be fine. He's a big boy. They were just words thrown around in a moment of anger and futility."

A moment of silence passed where Kate resorted back to brushing out her long hair in front of the vanity and Sheila, sitting on her bed, chewing her bottom lip, stared at the box she had kicked underneath her desk.

'_Read the journals...'_

She knew she would have to eventually, but right now, she was tired, drained physically and emotionally. She sighed and Kate gave her a frown through the reflection in the mirror.

"You want to talk about it?"

Sheila shook her head. "No. No more talking..."

"Look, I know it's not the best time to ask about it and all, but there's something I have to know." Sheila nodded for her to continue and Kate lowered her eyes, blushing. Sheila narrowed her eyes.

"Kate, what is it?"

"Well... I saw you at the table with Caleb and..."

"Yes?"

"How was it? How did he make you feel?"

Sheila smiled, half out of embarrassment because if she had seen what happened that meant other people had too and the other half out of remembering.

"It was nice... Sweet... He made me feel safe, you know... Like no matter what, that moment was ours, special, and he was going to do everything in his power to make it perfect for me..." Sheila's eyes widened, clarity shifting in her brain. "Oh my God..."

Kate lowered her brush, her eyebrows furrowing. "What? What's wrong?"

Sheila shook her head. _'Everything and nothing.' _Holy shit. She remembered. Usually when the succubus took over, for any amount of time, she NEVER remembered anything, she just knew that something seductive had gone down. But not this time... The succubus was right there with her the whole time Caleb was touching her, kissing her... It was right there, playing along, sexing her up for the release she felt coming.

But this time was different.

She remembered... Every detail, every scent, every moan... She remembered.

'_The one that has Bonded with you approaches...'_ Who? Caleb?

She pulled the switch to turn her bedside lamp off and slowly lowered her head to her pillow, her mind whirring. She shut her eyes tightly, the moment she had slapped Caleb and told him to go replaying over and over in her head.

She let out a deep breath, swallowing down the lump of pride and disappointment in her throat.

"Ah shit..."

**A/N: **There! Hope the fight scene lived up to good expectations! I've never written one before so tell me what you guys think! Finally, no more Nicky's... NEXT: We see what happens to Caleb and Sheila finally opens the box of journals... Ooh, I can't wait! Review please!


	22. Contemplations and Constellations

**CHAPTER 22:**

**Contemplations and Constellations**

(The next day...)

"What's going to happen to him?"

"The Abbott's are hell bent on pressing charges, but since the Danvers are such a strong financial line for the school, Provost Higgins reasoned with them and instead of him going to jail, he's just going to be suspended for a week, starting tomorrow."

"What about Aaron?"

"Well, Evelyn, Caleb's mom, threw a fit when she heard about how they were punishing Caleb and not Aaron, and threatened to pull her wallet from the school completely, but after another conference on the matter, they decided it would only be fair to suspend Aaron too."

"This sucks..." Sheila sighed. "I guess I should call him, huh?"

"I don't think right now is such a good idea..."

"Oh... Is he still angry with me...?" Her face collapsed into a frown.

She heard a deep breath on the other side of the phone, like the person was really contemplating an answer. "No, he never was, but like any human being that's been rejected and just beaten up, he needs his space. I mean, you did nothing less than cut off his balls when you slapped him... _In front of everybody... _And he's just brooding."

"How bad did I mess things up?"

"No more than he did, so I'd say you guys were pretty even."

A beat of silence, in which Sheila used to drum her fingers dejectedly along the top of the box she had wiggled from under her desk. Tracing her name scribbled on the side, she took a deep breath.

"Look, Sheila, Saturday is his birthday and also the day of the dance. Give him this week alone and I bet he'll be in better spirits this weekend."

Sheila nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure you're right... Thanks, Tyler... I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Of course, babe." He replied and she could hear the smile in his voice. "Bye."

Sheila flipped her phone closed and threw it at the bottom of her bed, where it slid precariously to the edge before teetering to the floor. She watched it with a somewhat bored expression, staring at the spot on the bed it had previously occupied with a frown before turning her attention back to the dilapidated box in her lap.

She bit her lip, tapping her fingers up and down the sides, then rolled her eyes in frustration. "Just do it. It can't make things much worse than they already are."

She lifted the lid and peered inside. Everything looked innocent enough. Marbled composition notebooks and manila envelopes strewn throughout, the velvet locket box peeking out from underneath all the paper. She shook the box, like she was about to draw the winning numbers for a lottery, and reached in, pulling out a small journal from the bottom.

'_This looks like a good place to start...' _

She set the box beside her on the bed and ran her fingers over the front of the journal. No initials, no words at all told her what was contained inside, so she flipped it open, the yellowing pages crackling beneath the disturbance of fresh air, and began reading.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_June 11__th__, 2003_

_My name is Marcus Lamont and for many generations before me, my family has heard whispers of the Power the Sons of Ipswich hold. I never in my life thought it would spill over into my very own bloodline, but it has. _

_My daughter, who recently turned 13, has expressed "things" that are far more extraordinary than your average "gifted" child. You cannot simply label her "talents" as normal._

_I have recently contacted an old college friend of mine, a James Danvers,-_

Sheila shook her head to make sure she was reading right. _'Danvers... What the hell?...'_

_A James Danvers, and sought his help in this matter. He's a Son, a secret I learned by mistake early on in our friendship and a story to be divulged in another journal entry, and I hoped for his complete understanding and guidance. _

_What I got was a very angry door slammed in my face. A one Mrs. Danvers telling me in a snotty voice that her husband was "unwell" and wasn't taking any visitors. _

_But I knew better. He wasn't sick. Without the love and Power of Anneliese, he was dying..._

_Months later, I received a package in the mail from an unknown sender. Inside, it contained pages and pages of information pertaining to the Sons and their Covenant. After reading the material, I soon learned that untold Powers and hidden legends were the cause of my daughter's very existence. _

_There was no return address on the envelope, not a single hint of the sender. Just a simple note with simple instructions._

_It said:_

"_Keep these items safe. You will need them as your daughter matures, physically and in her Powers. And, Marcus, do everything you can to ensure your daughter's safety. She gives us hope for the future..."_

_I am hoping that one day my daughter, Sheila, will come in contact with any and all this information I have worked hard to gather. I fear that the one that has started this snowball effect will soon be coming for me, possibly ending my life, and I can't risk this information returning to her hands._

_I also hope that when and if she does find this information, Sheila will in turn use it to find true happiness..._

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ _

Sheila took a deep breath. Whoa... This was heavy stuff. She should just put the lid back on this can (or, in this case, box) of worms and turn away from it, never looking back...

But she knew she wouldn't. Curiosity had her by the scruff of the neck and was shaking her violently around now. She had to continue reading... Sheila did the shuffle and shake thing again with the box and peered in. Pulling out a manila envelope that felt like it contained nothing at all, she licked her lips and opened it.

Out fell a single thick page of a very old book, the corners of the paper frayed and curled, the ink from the words faded and nearly unreadable. _'Must've been really important for someone to go through so much trouble...' _She ran her finger along the left edge of the page. It looked like someone had torn it straight out of a book. Sheila sighed.

'_Or really threatening...' _

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Each generation has four. Nobody knows how or why they are chosen... Or who chooses, for that matter... The girls are usually unaware of who they really are, that is until they turn 13, when they get their first taste of their Powers._

_Along with the regular Powers all Ipswich Sons and Ladies acquire, the chosen Ladies develop attributes unique to them. With these attributes, they learn to harness their Powers and potentially to obtain the attentions of a Son (see also Claiming, pg. 502). _

_These attributes are found in Daughters only, although there have been records of some Sons showing signs of them. But those cases are extremely rare. Only if the Son and Lady's union is truly the heart's desire will the Ladies Powers be meshed as one with the Sons (see also Marking, pg. 506)._

_Some attributes include shape shifting, while other Ladies simply move objects with their minds. And in the rarest of cases, Ladies can read others thoughts with a mere touch of skin to skin._

_And then there are those, even rarer still, that are not even aware of said Powers. They go through life normally, nobody, not even themselves, suspecting a thing..._

_Thought to have been filtered out many generations ago, these talented, young women not only excel academically, but socially as well. The world is laid open at their feet, brought up in the most elite of households, wealth and an abundant supply of the best of the best the only thing they are exposed to._

_Their parents are usually normal, mortal human beings. Great leaders of business and society, teaching their daughters anything and everything they know about the Covenant and their Powers._

_Each generation has four... One for each Son..._

_They are the Ladies in Waiting..._

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sheila took her bottom lip between her teeth, the slight pressure of a forming headache tickling her brain.

The Ladies in Waiting...

Well, the page more than described her. Non-magical parents... "Unique" talents... Her undeniable attraction to a certain Covenant member...

'_One for each Son...'_

Caleb.

A knock at the door startled her out of her thoughts, causing her to jump a little in the tiny, dark room. The sun was already setting and she was so engrossed in her reading that she didn't even notice. She hastily shoved the lid back on the box and stood, looking around the dorm for a place to stash it.

Another knock, this time harder and more urgent.

"Just a second." She called, half running, half stumbling to her desk. She placed the box underneath it, in a corner, then stood back and frowned. She shook her head. "Not quite..." She grabbed a jacket from the coat rack and threw it over the box. Studying it again, she finally shrugged. "It'll do."

"Sheila? Is that you?" The voice on the other side of the door shuffled its feet, hand reaching for the knob.

Sheila lunged forward and pulled the door open with such force the person stumbled in surprise. She smiled.

"I'm sorry, Kate's not here."

Pogue ran a hand through his long, chestnut hair. "I know. She's got her study group every Sunday night."

Sheila nodded. "She's probably in the library then." She gave him a tiny smile and went to shut the door, but he stopped it with his foot.

"Wait." She stepped back, her eyebrows raised. "I'm not here for her..." He held up a motorcycle helmet that Sheila just noticed he had. She raked her eyes over the rest of his body, taking in his wardrobe. Bike helmet, leather jacket, tights jeans, a pair of heavy looking shitkickers. She blinked and he cleared his throat. "I, uh, actually came here for you."

"Me?"

"Yeah, I have a competition coming up and I need to train, so I thought that I'd come by and see if you'd like to join me for a ride..." His eyes were questioning, hopeful. He smiled and she returned it, nodding.

"Sure. Sounds like more fun than being cooped up here..."

His grin widened. "Awesome." A beat. "Uh, well I guess you need to change and all that so... I'll see you out front in fifteen?"

Sheila nodded and closed the door when he turned away, heading for the stairs. She leaned against the door, then straightened her stance, and ran a hand over her forehead, the headache still threatening, but slowly being ebbed away at the prospect of a righteous bike ride.

She threw a look at the box on her desk, the jacket slipping a bit, revealing the top. It seemed to be mocking her, laughing, throwing secrets and mysteries in her face with a sneer.

She really should finish reading the documents... But... She sighed. But no. She shook her head, throwing on a pair of jeans and a sweater.

Right now, she had a date with a Ducati.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Where are we headed?" Sheila shouted into her helmet's microphone, the sound of her voice nearly being drowned out by the whoosh of air as her and Pogue whizzed swiftly passed the surrounding forest.

He took a curve sharply, scaring Sheila into scooting closer to him, her arms going instinctively around his waist, her hands taking the front of his leather jacket hostage in her gloved fists. Pogue smiled behind his visor, shifting gears effortlessly, the motorcycle wheels spinning faster as they gained speed, the rubber eating up the road greedily.

"You'll see." He paused. "And Sheila?"

"Yeah?"

"I can't breathe..."

"Oh!" She abruptly loosened her hold on him and sat back. She could hear the tinkle of his laugh faintly in her ear and the sound brought a smile to her face.

"Just relax. Enjoy the sensations."

He felt her nod against his back, her hands cupping his hips gently as she took a deep, controlled breath, the smell of mocha and coffee from the café Pogue worked at filling her nostrils, the wind carrying his scent under her helmet. For a moment, she wondered, comically, if he had Mexican for dinner, the smell of tabasco a teasing hint in the background.

She placed her body flush against his, the cool feel of his leather inviting underneath her skin. The surrounding trees on both sides of the road were nothing but a faint blur, fallen leaves rustling and dancing beneath the bike's wheels.

The huge night sky was darker than her eyes could ever be, thousands of stars not being overshadowed by the faraway city lights winked playfully at her, the moon beaming in its breathtaking fullness.

Sheila wanted to feel it, feel everything, actually reach out and touch them, the stars, the moon... life...

"Pogue?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you trust me?"

"Well... You haven't given me a reason not to yet, so I guess I do... Why...?"

"I want to do something... Something that might be a bit dangerous, but I want to know that I have your full cooperation..."

"Are you going to kill me?"

Sheila's laugh was a light melody, faint and sweet. "No, of course not. I just... I have to do this... Please."

"Do I have to pull over or something?"

"Nope, you just have to hang on."

"Why? What are you-"

But the question was cut off as Sheila deftly undid her bike helmet, slipping it slowly from her head, careful not to let the wind have it and take it, and her, away. Her hair was immediately whipped back and she closed her eyes for a brief moment to shield it from the sting of rushing air. Carefully, she leaned back a bit, hooking the helmet to the carriage rack at the end of the bike, where it sat innocent and unmoving.

Turning to face Pogue once again, she placed her hands lightly on his shoulders, shifting her bottom half as she did so, unhooking her feet from the rungs they were resting on, and squeezing his shoulders, she brought her legs up and around Pogue's waist. She felt his body stiffen, his head turning to look at her and she could only imagine the alarm in his eyes.

She gently cupped his head and twisted it forward again.

"Eyes on the road, Parry." She shouted over the wind, but it's not like he would hear her anyway, the roar of the engine alone made her very ears ring. Licking her lips (which would surely be chap tomorrow morning), she nervously let go of his shoulders and leaned back, almost fully horizontal, but not quite so much to where her hair could get caught in the wheel and ripped off her head.

When she felt confidant in her position and the straightness of the road, she opened her eyes. Without the tinted visor of the helmet, the stars were a bit clearer, the moon a hell of a lot brighter, and her smile was definitely bigger. She lifted her arms ballerina-style above her head, arching her back more, the wind carrying her hair behind her like a black banner. Slowly, she brought her arms down, holding them horizontally straight, palms up and open, eager to catch (and feel) life.

And, because she was drunk off of adrenaline and stupidity, she did the unthinkable. She tilted her head back as far as it would go, closing her eyes, and, at the top of her lungs, howled (yes, howled) werewolf style at the moon.

Sheila took another deep breath, blinking back the tears the wind (amongst other things) brought to her eyes. She had never felt more free in her entire life and in that same moment, she had never felt more alone...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"How did you find this place?" Sheila leaned her body casually against the rusting, metal rail, the structure groaning beneath her weight. Bracing her feet carefully on the slippery rocks, she looked over the cliff, the air from the surf below twisting her hair about her head.

"These are the Cliffs." Pogue stood next to her, his back to the raging sea, his elbows holding him up as he inclined his body to the rail, crossing his legs at the ankles. "And down there, that's the Dells. You may have heard about all the monster parties that go on from Kate." She nodded. "And a bit further that way-" He pointed to his right, further up the beach where a cluster of forest grew. "That's Marblehead Flats. Great place to go four-wheeling." He shrugged. "And if you continue the way we were headed, you'll hit Gloucester. Another small town, but nothing seemingly different than Ipswich."

"Well wherever it is, it's amazing..." She leaned further over the rail, and although they were at least 300 feet up, she spotted a pair of people weaving their way slowly along the beach, walking hand in hand no doubt. She watched, mesmerized by the boy's flapping shirt, the way his hair moved beautifully in the wind, almost begging her fingers to run through it.

'_Little peach...' _

Sheila threw Pogue a look, checking to see if he had the voice too and that she wasn't just imagining things. He didn't seem to notice (or hear) anything as he studied the cuticles on his nails, biting away pieces of skin, the wind rustling his hair and jacket.

'_Little peach... I know you hear me... Join me down here... We'll have some fun...' _

She licked her lips nervously, closing her eyes and willing her mind to focus her Powers on enhancing her eyesight to triple its normal vision, much like you would when adjusting the lens on a microscope. Grabbing the hand rail firmly, she carefully leaned further over, her body bending at the waist, and opened her eyes slowly. What she saw made her gasp, almost slipping from the slick rail.

Peering innocently at her, some 300 feet below, through the spray mist of the sea and the fog rolling in from further out, was the boy on the beach. The girl he was with didn't seem to notice his attention was no longer on her, the dark-haired girl continuously chattering away.

'_Hello, my sweet...' _

The boy raised a hand and gave her half a wave, his brilliant white teeth shining in the moonlight. But it was his eyes that frightened her. They matched her own in blackness, but held so much more Power... She stopped herself mid-wave, reprimanding herself for falling prey to the glint in his eyes, the hypnotizing sway of his voice.

'_**Who are you?'**_

The boy smiled, raising both his arms and tapped a wrist with his opposite hand, like he was asking for the time.

Sheila's breaths came out in panicky little puffs, realization dawning on her. _**'The watch...' **_She slammed a frustrated open palm against the rail. If this person belonged to the watch she acquired last night, that left her with two options, both people still complete strangers to her: J.L.D. or the boy in the woods.

She squinted her eyes, from the sting of the wind and to get a better look at the mysterious boy. She just couldn't shake the feeling that (although the beach walker's clue did narrow down her options) she had seen this boy, felt this Power, somewhere before.

The fog grew heavier, blocking her view. She blinked and he was gone. She sighed, straightening her stance, and stumbled a few steps back from the railing, confusion eating away at her brain. She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering from the freezing sea spray and the terrible reality that someone she couldn't even clearly see knew that she was here, at the Cliffs with Pogue at this very moment.

"Cold?"

Her companion's voice shocked her from her thoughts and she nodded dumbly, watching as Pogue walked to the back of his bike and, opening a small compartment, pulled out a long, green thermos. He wiggled it, walking toward her, and smiled.

"The perks of working in a café..."

Unscrewing the two cups on top, he handed her one and filled it almost to the rim with a brown, yummy looking liquid.

"Now I don't like to brag, but I am told that I make the best hot chocolate in town."

Sheila laughed, bringing the cup to her trembling lips. "We shall see..." She took a sip, the chocolate warm and satisfying as it slid across her tongue. Despite the roar of the waves, silence surrounded the two bikers and she resorted back to watching the couple down below, their toes kicking up sand as they walked, hands clasped, wind blowing their clothes back as the constant waves wiped away traces of their footsteps. She took another sip and sighed.

"He'll only be gone a week. You don't have to look so sad."

She jumped at the sudden noise in the quiet slumber of the surf and nearly spilled her cocoa on herself. _'He really needs to stop doing that!' _Inwardly groaning, she wiped the dribble from her chin. "Who?"

"Caleb. You were thinking about him, weren't you?"

She let out a nervous laugh. "And what makes you think that?"

Pogue raised his cup to his lips to hide his smile. "You just have this look on your face."

Sheila raised her eyebrows. "This look?"

"Yeah." He took a long, slow sip, deliberately drawing out the moment and her curiosity. When she opened her mouth to reprimand him, he continued. "It's the same look Caleb gets on his face when he's not around you." He heard her mouth shut with a clack of her teeth. "You know, when he misses you and can't do anything except think of you and talk about you-" He paused. "-incessantly, by the way..."

Sheila gave him a sidelong glance, gauging his face to see if he was just pulling her leg. He returned the look and added a tiny smile. She nodded. "I had no idea..."

Contemplative silence was a big theme tonight as they stood there, unmoving, watching the waves kiss the shore, the mysterious couple long since disappeared beyond the sand. The misty spray was cool to her face, the cocoa warm to her chest. She threw back the rest of it, the last dregs consisting of the mocha that always sinks to the bottom when you don't stir it enough. It scratched her throat and she cleared it.

"Is he going to be okay?"

Pogue looked at her, sizing up his answer. "He thinks you're afraid of him, you know."

Sheila dropped her hands in defeat. "No." She shook her head vigorously. "Not him... What he did..."

"To Aaron?"

"Yeah..." She bit her bottom lip, wrapping her arms around herself as Pogue took her empty cup and screwed it back onto the thermos. "He's usually just so... serious... and composed... and then he just blew up..."

"He did it for you, Sheila."

She slowly nodded her head, accepting what she already knew. "That look in his eye, the feel in his body while he was doing it... It was so intense and I think, in a way, Caleb enjoyed it. He enjoyed the dominance."

"Hey-" Pogue wrapped an arm around her shoulder and brought her closer in an attempt to comfort her. She burrowed her face into his shoulder, smelling the coffee there on his smooth skin. "Although your theory probably rings true to a certain extent, let us remember that it_ was _Aaron and on some level, everybody, big or small, would've gotten some satisfaction out of kicking his ass. The guy's a jerk who likes to push Caleb's buttons and, in a way, he deserved it. It was going to happen eventually."

"It still doesn't excuse the fact that it was frightening..." She gave him a playful shove.

Pogue rubbed his chest. "True, but the thing you have to understand is, everybody has that one thing that they are willing to fight for no matter what." He paused. "Everybody has a weakness, Sheila, and you... You just happen to be Caleb's..."

Sheila angled her head away from him so he wouldn't see her blush. She cleared her throat. "So, Pogue Parry, do you have any weaknesses?" She asked, shifting the subject from her to him.

Pogue smiled, his hair falling in his dark brown eyes from the wind, the moonlight twinkling off his body. Sheila blinked, realizing for the first time just how handsome the boy was. Every time she saw him, he was always frowning, like he was brooding over something that he just couldn't get passed.

"Uh... Anything sweet..."

She raised an eyebrow and regarded him softly. "Anything?"

"Yeah." He scratched an itch on his chest and laughed nervously. "You know... Candy... Cakes... Really great moments... Girls..."

"Well I guess it's a good thing Kate's so nice, huh?"

Sheila saw the faintest hint of a scowl flash across his features, but it was gone quicker than it came. "Yeah, I guess..." With a huff, he turned his body away from her and trudged down a worn dirt path near the cliff's edge. Furrowing her eyebrows, she ran to catch up to him, linking her arms around one of his when she did.

"I'm sorry. Did I say something wrong?"

He gave her a small smile and shook his head. "No, everything's cool."

"Do you want to sit?" She gestured to a rock formation near the edge and he nodded.

Hours passed as they sat in quiet contemplation, watching the stars glitter. Sheila raised an arm and pointed at something in the sky.

"Look, a shooting star! Quick! Make a wish!"

They both shut their eyes, giggling, childishly making mental wishes as the tiny miracle streaked across the sky. Her breath came out in a puff as she opened her eyes, giving Pogue a sidelong glance. "What did you wish for?"

Pogue averted his gaze from hers and grinned. "Something sweet..."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pogue let her drive back, to get a feel of her skills. The ride to the school was peaceful and stunt less, the full moon lighting their way through the dirt roads and trees. Sheila smiled the whole way there as she shifted gears effortlessly, the grip on her thighs easing with each passing mile, Pogue's body relaxing into hers.

She heard him sigh a few times, his mind elsewhere since he made his wish. Sheila pulled into an empty space in front of her dorms, letting the engine idle as she slipped her lean body from the bike, Pogue scooting forward into her place. She undid her helmet and placed it on the carriage rack.

She wiped a few tendrils of fallen hair from her eyes and smiled. "Thank you so much. You have no idea how much I needed that..."

He simply smiled at her and she shuffled nervously from foot to foot in the silence. He cleared his throat.

"Sheila, can I ask you something? It's kind of important."

She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sure."

"With the exception of last night, how are you and Caleb getting along? You know... Like are you just friends or what?" His eyes flashed hungrily, the answer to his question seemingly important. She could see the want in his gaze, feel the need in his muscles.

Sheila felt the heat of a blush creeping to her face and neck as her hand slipped slowly from his shoulder. "Uh, Pogue-" She looked down at her hands, suddenly very interested in her cuticles. "-I think I might be too sweet for you, if you catch my drift..."

Pogue's eyebrows crashed together. "What? What are you-" His eyes widened. "Oh. Oh! No. I'm not hitting on you. I would never."

A fleeting slice of rejection passed through her. "Oh..."

"No!" He stopped, took a deep breath, calmed his voice. "Not that I wouldn't under different circumstances, but Caleb's my best friend and he has his heart set on you. I would never hurt him like that."

She let out a little laugh. "Oh, yeah, me neither..." She paused. "Wait... His heart?..."

It was now time for Pogue to blush. "What?" He casually shrugged. "Guys talk too, you know..."

A beat.

"Well, thanks again..." She pulled her keys from her jacket pocket. "And Pogue, if you ever need to talk... about anything... I'm a great listener..."

He cleared his throat. "Um, yeah, thanks."

She turned toward the dorm building, but stopped herself and quickly turned back to him. "I'm sorry, I never answered your question." He looked at her. "I'd like to think that we're more than friends... Or at least, I'm hoping it's going in that direction..." She bit her lip. "Does that help?"

Pogue smiled. "More than you know..." He placed his helmet back on his head. "See you tomorrow."

She nodded, frowning. She saw something in his eyes that disturbed her, caused her concern. He put on a tough, bad ass front, but he was hiding some major hurt. The boy's emotions ran off him in gales and it almost overwhelmed her. For some reason, he was sad, but his extra dosage of testosterone didn't allow him to divulge it to anyone.

He was definitely the opposite of his best friend...

"You're not like Caleb, are you?" She blurted.

He inclined his head to the side, his eyes twinkling behind the helmet's visor and although his answer was muffled, she still heard it clearly.

"No one's like Caleb..." He revved his engine with a nod good-bye and in a cloud of dramatic dust, he was gone.

**A/N: **Review please!


	23. Lips Like Sugarcane

**CHAPTER 23:**

**Lips Like Sugarcane**

"_... As each generation Ascends, both male and female, they acquire the knowledge of past generations. Ancestors, disputes, settlements, births, deaths, etc, but especially relationships. It's as if you're collecting their memories, reading a history book of their lives, only it happens in a matter of seconds._

_Once this knowledge is acquired, Sons and Ladies alike will be able to tap into resources and Power not accessible to them prior to their Ascension._

_This is when they learn to harness their Power and fully mature..."_

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

The week following the incident at Nicky's passed with quiet contemplation within the small group of friends. With the absence of both Caleb and Aaron from school, her academic life fell into a somewhat normal routine again, although Keira's death stares were becoming more frequent and menacing at lunch.

Sheila sighed out a deep chested breath, smoothing her hands down the front of her dress, her head heavy with curlsas Kate pinned the last tendrils into place. Kate patted her shoulders, then left her to smile goofily at herself in the mirror as she finished getting ready in the bathroom.

She had never been to a dance before. The whole prospect of finding the perfect dress, fixing the make-up (which she never wore...), and choosing the Prince Charming date always seemed a bit too overwhelming for her.

But as Sheila adjusted and readjusted the few curled tendrils of hair about her face, she figured that half a day's work getting ready for a few hours of happiness wasn't all that bad. In fact (though she hated to admit it to Kate's face, who was positively bubbling with excitement), she'd say that it was definitely worth it.

"Sheila!?"

Sheila ran the gloss wand over her lips one last time, smooching them together before blowing a kiss to herself in the mirror. She grinned, rolling her eyes at Kate's inability to be patient.

"You do know that the dance starts and ends at a certain time right?!"

Sheila nodded, knowing that Kate couldn't see her, and laughed. But the smile on her face quickly faded as the locket around her neck caught the light overhead. She raised a hand to it, feeling the dulled Power brimming within its making, and traced the scrawled 'A' across its somewhat shiny surface with her fingertip. She felt the Power as it tempted and warned her, pulling her into a turmoil of confused thoughts.

And in that small increment of time, she wished with all her being that her father could see her right now, in this very moment just to tell her how beautiful she was and that he was proud of her, no matter what happened.

She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder, Kate's concerned face reflecting in the mirror.

"Hey... You all right?"

Sheila nodded with a tiny smile. "Yeah, I'm just thinking..."

"About what?"

Sheila turned her body away from the mirror with a shrug, picking up her clutch purse as she passed her bed. "Stuff."

Kate watched herwith growing worry, although she did find some solace in the fact that her roommate was sleeping better this week.

"You're thinking about him again, aren't you?"

Sheila inwardly growled. It was bad enough that the Sons could read her mind as if it were an open book, but now Kate. This was downright embarrassing. And yet... It was true... She was thinking of Caleb again. The boy had never left her head since she met him, so why start now?

Sheila nodded, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "I'm just afraid that he'll be a no show tonight..."

"He'll be here... Don't worry... I already talked to Pogue." A knock at the door made Sheila jump in surprise. Kate grinned as she poked Sheila in the direction of the door. "Maybe that's him now..." She said in a singsong voice.

Sheila shook her head with a giggle at her friend's antics and allowed herself to be pushed to the door. "It's probably just Pogue."

"That, my dear, is very doubtful..."

Sheila narrowed her eyes in curiosity. "Why?"

Kate silenced the subject with a firm shake of her head. "Just answer the door."

"Okay... But I'll need details later, missy..." Sheila nervously reached out, her body shaking with light tremors of anticipation. She did a mental eye roll and reprimanded herself for getting so worked up. _'Just relax... It's only been a week since you've seen him... No big deal...' _But as her small, delicate hand closed around the doorknob, the chill of it shivering down her spine, she knew she had a reason to be scared.

This first moment since Nicky's between them could either make or break their "friendship" (or whatever else you wanted to label it...). It was not only important for her, but more so for her pride and humility.

She took a deep breath, fluffing her hair and smoothing her dress again as she did so, and, with a hopeful smile overshadowing her anxious features, she opened the door. Her eyes widened at the sight on the other side, and although the smile on her face remained, it slipped a little in its faith.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

Tyler bowed his head with a shy smile, but kept his eyes locked on her face as he took one of her hands in both of his. "I was sent here." He pecked a kiss to her knuckles, releasing her hand with a blush.

"By who?"

Tyler's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Caleb..." Sheila figured that and even though it was just his name and not the actual person standing before her, the two syllable word sent a shudder of wanting through her.

"Where is he?"

That was when Tyler averted his gaze, his face growing solemn. "He's with his father at the moment, hashing out some important... matters..."

Her face wrinkled in confusion. "This late at night?"

Tyler swallowed, lifting one shoulder in an offhand shrug. "Well... Eighteenth birthdays are a big deal in our families, especially if you're a male. Besides, his dad's sick so it's not like he could go to Caleb or anything." He shrugged again, a light sweat breaking out over his forehead as he nervously shuffled from foot to foot. "He just sent me here to make sure you got to the dance safely."

Sheila nodded. "Oh..."

"He'll be there. He promised, remember?"

Deep breath. "Yeah." Tentative fingertips brushed her cheek with a smile, smoothing its way down the length of her arm where they curled around her fingers and tugged.

"Come on. Let's go have some fun. Show that boy what he's missing."

Sheila nodded, smiling, her disappointment fading a bit, and allowed Tyler to pull her along.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Will it hurt?"

"Yes, my Son, but the pain will subside. It's the temptation you must worry about."

Caleb sighed. "I know. It will be hard to endure."

James smiled at his son as he lifted a handkerchief to his chin, wiping away some dribble. "Embrace her love, Caleb. She will help you through it all."

Caleb nodded. "What should I expect tonight?"

"Besides the immense amount of pain? Nothing." A pause. "At least not at first. You'll probably black out for a while, but I've already informed the others about that. They should be able to carry you outside when the time comes... When you awake, Caleb, you will feel an incredible amount of pressure on your head. Almost like a migraine, but without the strain and discomfort."

"What is it?"

A shrug from the older man. "I can't describe it. It's like... Your mind is expanding."

"Expanding?"

"Yes. Many, many generations of previous Sons' knowledge will be thrust upon you. You're going to change, literally over night. You'll be smarter, more informed. Your senses will enhance and you'll feel in tune with your surroundings at all times. Your body will become stronger, harder. Your skin will stretch. Your muscles will expand. Most people don't notice. And if they do, they don't question it. Nobody ever does."

James sighed again, his eyelids threatening to close on him, his chest rising andfalling steadily as if he were already in a deep sleep. Caleb frowned, noticing for the first time just how old his father looked. He stared openly, feeling sorry for the man and feared that because they were of the same blood, he wouldn't be able to resist Using at any and all costs. He watched as his father closed his eyes, finally giving in to the lulling call of sleep.

He quickly imagined himself in his father's place, withering away over something you had little control over. Caleb sighed. He didn't ask for this. Didn't ask for this Power, the Power that, after tonight, would be his very life.

Caleb cast his mind five, maybe ten, years into the future. He saw the stereotypical white picket fence surrounding the baby blue cookie cutter house, lush green grass blowing in the unfelt wind. The pristine white front door opened and out stepped Sheila, laughing, her hair swaying in the same direction of the grass.

Grasping her hand as he playfully pulled her along was a small boy of seven, his cheeks rosy red from the chill of the autumn air, their breaths coming out in little puffs. He quickly let go of her hand to chase the falling leaves, her calling after him to button up his coat.

Caleb smiled, his imagination taking his heartfelt desires and running with it. But his happiness quickly faded away as a third figure emerged from within the beautifully perfect house. But he was not standing, barely even breathing on his own as he scooted his wheelchair across the porch, his respirator silently in tow behind him as he squeaked along.

The imaginary Sheila turned to him, smiling and placed a hand on his shoulder. Kneeling down, she lightly kissed his withered cheek, her eyes filling with sadness. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small box. She handed it to him just as the little boy came running back, leaves crunching beneath his Converses.

Sheila smiled again, taking the boy into her arms. The boy let out a chirp of a laugh when he saw the present.

"_Happy birthday, Daddy!" _He giggled.

Sheila joined him, her eyes twinkling. _"Yes, happy birthday, Caleb..."_

"Caleb... Caleb... Caleb?... Caleb!"

The older man's voice made him jump and snapped him back to reality. Caleb shook his head, the last of the image fading away, making him less anxious. "I'm sorry, Dad. What did you say?" He looked at his father, realizing that he was still asleep, but upon closer inspection, he saw James' lips moving with a string of words. Caleb leaned his ear closer, listening.

"...Temptation... The temptation... So seductive... So easy... Oh, Caleb..." James let out a tiny sob, his hands twitching in an unknown dream. "I fear for you, Son... The temptation will be great... So great..."

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

The banquet hall was lit up like some back alley town witnessing a small parade (complete with fireworks). Multicolored lights danced halfheartedly across his features as he made his way down the stairs and behind the food table. Picking up a cookie as he passed, he bobbed his head to the sexy wail of the saxophone, the sultry, diva voice of Christina Aguilera's jazzy tune 'Candyman' causing his fingers to involuntarily tap against his thigh.

The long, deep hall was packed. Screeches and hoots of surprise and the laughter of various dancers swinging each other around the dance floor filled his ears and as he watched male after male flip their partners into the air only to catch them again and twirl them about of the tips of their high heeled toes, he smiled. Layered skirts of silk and lace spun around him, a light, inviting tease of laughter and fun.

Caleb let out a sigh of satisfaction as he indulged in the sugary confection that was compacted into the tiny cookie, rubbing his fingertips together to rid them of the crumbs.

And that was when he spotted her...

A raven haired siren dressed in a devil of a red dress. It was cut low in the front and as Reid spun her around with graceful ease, Caleb saw it was even lower in the back. He placed a hand to his chest, his very breath leaving his body as his heart sped up. Stopping in his footsteps, he watched as she deftly escaped Reid's grasp and grabbed Tyler's hand, his face set in a silent protest, hers displaying a pink, playful tint and sheer determination, and though it wasn't his own fault, she reveled in the satisfaction that this was revenge for being on the other side of her dorm door instead of Caleb.

She laughed, reassuring him, and managed to peel his plastered body from the wall. Reid and Pogue circled the duo, pointing and laughing as Tyler awkwardly attempted to dance with the lady in red.

Swiveling his hips from side to side and holding onto one of her hands delicately, he spun her out, then back in again, flushing her against his body. She threw her head back with a giggle, her curled tendrils of hair bouncing around her face as she slithered her body up and down his in a light tease. Tyler followed the movements with his hands, Pogue and Reid's hoots and hollers as they all bounced around the dance floor as a single unit mingled easily with the rest of the dance goers.

Kate joined them, sidling up next to Sheila. The two girls faced the boys, grinning mischievously, their rhythm never faltering. Caleb saw them lip syncing the song silently, laughing. For a moment, the best friends danced with each other, their moves reminiscent of the movie Grease. When Reid went to approach them, Sheila held up a hand, wagging a finger playfully at him.

Instead of going with him, she wiggled her way to Tyler again, causing Reid to feign a faint, his hand placed to his forehead dramatically as she slipped a leg over Tyler's hip, her body bending backward as he dipped her expertly. She clasped a hand to her chest, fearing her dress would pop open and Tyler brought her back up with a suave grin. They ended the song with a twirl out, Sheila's dress billowing around her long legs like a bright red tornado.

A beat of silence passed in the great hall before the melody of a slow song filled the air. Caleb saw Sheila sigh and look around, searching for him no doubt. Tyler offered her his hand, but she gently shook her head, her black ringlets of hair bobbing as she exited the dance floor, Tyler on her heels. Silent words were spoken between them as Caleb continued to watch. Sheila nodded, Tyler stroking his knuckles warmly across her cheeks before heading for the food table.

She was alone.

Caleb drew in a deep breath, straightening out his dress shirt, and approached her, his heart hammering at a million miles a second. She didn't hear his approach over the music, her back toward him as she gently swayed to its intoxicating rhythm.

He watched her with a tiny smile, reaching out to brush a curl from her face. She jumped, surprised, and turned, her eyes widening when she saw him. Her cheeks were pink from the dancing and from embarrassment, her eyes flashing. She opened her mouth to say something, but quickly shut it, her eyes averting from his. Caleb snaked a hand behind her neck, causing her head to tilt back, her ocean eyes meeting his once more. She swallowed and he smiled.

"Dance with me..."

It was not a question but she nodded anyway, following him as he led her quietly away from the wall and to the middle of the dance floor. She lifted her arms, placing them lightly around his neck, awkwardly swaying to the music, her thoughts racing, heart pounding. So many questions, so many things left unsaid and unresolved, but here, in this moment, in his arms, the warmth of his body comforting against hers, she forgot all her doubts about that night at Nicky's, all her fears about their relationship.

She looked up, into his eyes, eyes that were watching her with slight amusement and hope, and smiled. In this moment, she truly knew she trusted and loved him. Caleb wanted, with painful intensity, to bury his face into the smooth curve of her neck and press his lips to her skin. Wanted to pull her closer, mingling her body's warmth with his own and desperately, he wanted nothing more than to feel her hair brush his face, the peach scent to tickle his nose.

He sighed, knowing doing none of those things would rectify the Nicky's situation, so instead he decided to go with door number two. Stepping back, he regarded her quizzically, his eyes soft, and she stared back, anticipating what was to come. She blinked when he reached a hand out, a calloused finger tracing one of four long thin, pink scars on her chest.

"I'm sorry..." He whispered.

She pulled her arms away from his neck and scanned his features, measuring his sincerity. Caleb stood very still, feeling awkward and exposed. Her eyes roamed his face and chest, his body hardening beneath her gaze. He saw the curious need in her eyes. Finally, she smiled, seemingly satisfied with what she saw.

"Why did you do it? Do you really think Aaron is that horrible?"

Caleb ducked his head a bit, shaking it with mild shame. "No." He admitted. "It wasn't that. I know Aaron's not the most intelligent person here at Spenser, but admittedly, he's not a pervert. He doesn't need to force girls to do anything with him."

"Then what was it? You were so angry." Her fingertips explored the line of his jaw and she resisted the urge to run her tongue along it. "I was afraid..."

"I know." Caleb leaned into her touch, sighing. "It was the fact that he was there, helping you, letting you cry all over him, and not me. I should've been there. Since the day we met, I have had this overwhelming need to protect you. I can't explain it. And I'm sorry that I scared you with what I did, but I couldn't help it. I saw you lying there, bleeding and crying and my heart couldn't help but go out to you. It's the testosterone, hero thing us guys have."

Sheila smiled up at him, wrapping her arms around his waist as she pulled him closer. He instinctively brushed a few strands of hair from her eyes and she giggled, burrowing her face lightly into his neck, breathing in the clean scent of his skin.

"I've been such a fool..." He touched his forehead to hers, sighing. "I just... I should've been there with you..."

"Well you're here with me now and it's going to take a lot more than a call from nature to pull me away from you..."

Caleb stopped their dancing, taking a few steps back, his eyes hopeful and questioning. "You mean, even after what I've done, you'd still want me...?"

Sheila furrowed her eyebrows. "Of course, why wouldn't I?"

Pathetic relief washed over his features as his face broke into a grin. She saw his hazel eyes grow brighter, like a rising sun, beautiful and full of wonder. She realized she could easily be lost in those eyes and didn't reprimand herself for thinking that she just might.

Slowly she lifted one of her hands from his waist and brought her fingertips to his lips, touching them lightly, a serious expression on her face, as if the whole world depended now on what her and Caleb did next. A lock of curled, black hair fell between her breasts, getting crumpled as she flushed her body against his, her heart pounding in a fleeting rhythm.

Tilting her head up, her lips followed the course of her fingers. Her kiss was soft, careful, innocent even, as she lightly explored the planes of his plump mouth. And he let her, his patience rapidly unraveling, his hands clenching at her hips, desperately wanting to run them up and down the curves of her back and butt, wondering what she was (or wasn't) wearing under her red, revealing dress.

She tasted the sugary remains of the cookie he had earlier and her mind buzzed with wicked possibilities, her mouth opening slightly to deepen the kiss. When she felt the tip of his tongue, a velvet soft rush, brush against hers she gasped silently and pulled back. Her eyes widened and she brought a hand to her mouth.

"What's the matter?"

Sheila licked her lips, still tasting him there. "I, uh..." A blush crept over her cheeks as she averted her gaze from his. "I've never kissed like that before." She let out a nervous laugh. "I'm afraid I don't know how..."

Caleb tried not to laugh, but failed, receiving a playful slap to his upper arm. "Ow!"

"It's not funny, Danvers." She shrugged. "I just wasn't expecting it, okay?"

A beat of silence.

"Sheila?"

"Yes?"

"If I promise to go slow, will you let me do that again?"

Sheila smiled, her sapphire eyes flashing. "Is that what you desire?" He nodded, hearing the teasing notes in her voice. "Now see, I thought you brought me out here to dance." She picked a piece of invisible lint lazily from his shirt, drawing circles with her hips against his. Caleb's head fell to her neck in a silent moan, his lips nuzzling her skin as he moved with her, their movements slow and deliberate.

"You really are a devil in a red dress..."

Sheila laughed as she turned her body around in his arms, her bottom sliding with electrifying ease across his erection. She would have to be a stupid female to not know what that was. Caleb choked on the inhalation of breath he was about to take as she continued the erotic assault on his privates. Pulling her back further into his body, his chest burning as it made contact with her bare skin, he ran his hands up and down the curves of her sides in long, slow sweeps.

She arched her spine with a sigh and, peeking over her shoulder, he could see the tips of her erect nipples through the thin fabric of her dress. Caleb licked his lips, wishing he could touch her there, almost forgetting that he was in the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by his fellow students at a school function. He moved his hands up her rib cage and brushed the underside of her breasts with his palms. Her eyes fluttered shut and she raised an arm, snaking it behind his neck, pulling his mouth down to hers once more.

Her kisses were hot and needy, stealing the breath from his lungs as they came out in short, desperate pants. Caleb felt his throat constricting and pulled away abruptly, an odd sensation creeping up his spine. Sheila blinked, a concerned look on her face as he stepped back, holding his chest, a massive pressure building and receding in his lungs.

"Caleb?" Sheila reached for him, but he held up a hand, stopping her. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head, rubbing a hand in circles on his chest, and winced when he tried to take a deep breath, feeling as if someone heavy were sitting on him. Caleb's eyes bulged, sweat shining on his forehead, his eyes wide and frantically searching out Pogue and the others.

'_Shit! Shit! Shit!' _He thought, wheezing. He groaned, feeling as if he were drowning, his mouth sucking air in greedily, but his lungs were still not inflating completely. Sheila filled the gap between them, her face crumbling into concern. Caleb tried to reassure her with a smile but it came out as a pained wince.

Black dots swam mockingly in front of his eyes and he sank slowly to his knees, suddenly overcome by a blinding white light of sickness. He groaned again, his vision blurring in and out, Sheila's face swimming drunkenly in front of him. She knelt down next to him, placing a hand to his cheek, whispering words of comfort to him.

But they fell of deaf ears as the most horrific pain Caleb had ever felt (and this included the time he pretended to be Superman and broke his leg jumping off the mansion roof) slowly clawed its way into his mind. He let out a cry of panic and anguish, his brain feeling as if it might explode right out of his head. He reached out blindly for Sheila, holding tight when he found her wrist.

His breath was coming out in short bursts, his voice barely above a whisper. "Get help now." He managed to squeeze through gritted teeth.

And then he blacked out.

Sheila watched in horror as Caleb's hazel eyes rolled to the back of his head, the white parts the only things visible as he fell backward, his head and body hitting the floor with a hard thud. He went limp for a second, then started flailing around like a fish out of water, his limbs and head whomping the floor uncontrollably.

Sheila gasped. "Oh my God! Caleb! Caleb!" She looked frantically around, realizing that several people had formed a small circle around them, watching them with worried eyes. "Someone get help!" She cried at them, her voice on the verge of sobs. The tears rolling down her cheeks went cold and neglected. "Help! He's having a seizure!" She clasped one of his hands in both of hers protectively to her chest.

"Someone help us please!" Her voice growing louder and more frantic. Someone came over and gently pushed her aside and through her anxiety it took her a moment to realize that it was Pogue, Reid and Tyler were kneeling on the other side of Caleb. They quickly removed his tie and unbuttoned his shirt, Tyler sitting on Caleb's knees to ease the flailing.

Pogue gritted his teeth, struggling with one of Caleb's arms. "Shit! What time is it?"

Reid chanced a look at his watch. "11:10."

Pogue stood, taking half of Caleb's body with him. "Come on, grab him! We only have a few minutes!"

Reid nodded, taking Caleb's other arm while Tyler lifted Caleb's legs. Their steps were unsteady beneath the weight, but thankfully, Caleb had finally stopped moving, his breaths more shallow, sweat pouring off him in rivers. He groaned in pain as they took him up the great hall's stairs and across the balcony to the exit that led outside.

Sheila followed, her dress a red flurry as she tried to keep up with their urgent paces, her mind whirring with fear. The exit door clanged open heavily, the loud noise causing all the eyes in the hall to turn toward the chaos. But no one questioned them and no one stepped forward to offer further assistance. Sheila placed a hand on the door handle, holding it open as the boys passed, Caleb's limp body in their arms.

She went to follow them outside, but Pogue stopped her with a glance. "I'm sorry, but you can't."

Sheila felt a slice of anger and disappointment pass through her. "I want to make sure he's okay."

Pogue shook his head as he set Caleb down on the concrete walk, Reid and Tyler following his example, and ran a hand across his forehead. "He'll be fine." He growled and Sheila recoiled slightly at the change in his voice, his eyes. Pogue abruptly turned away from her, stalking off.

"Pogue!"

Pogue ignored her and looked at Reid, his face tight and serious. "Watch her. Keep her safe." Reid nodded, walking away from Caleb hesitantly, and stepped into the great hall once more, shutting the doors locked behind him.

Sheila gaped at him. "Reid?"

Reid simply shook his head, taking one of her tiny arms in his hands and started off toward the other side of the hall. She struggled in his grasp, her heels digging into the tiled floor.

"Stop it." He didn't question her, but suddenly let go of her arm. The banister caught her with a thud as she stumbled. She gasped, startled, and clutched a hand to her chest, her eyes not meeting his. She gathered all her energy into breathing normal and not bursting into a fit of sobs. Thunder boomed threateningly outside, the hall's floor to ceiling windows shaking with the vibrations.

"I want answers and I want them now." Sheila surprised herself with the strength and steadiness of her voice. She straightened her stance, her gaze locking on his. "What's going on outside? I have pretty good reason to believe that Caleb's not having a seizure."

Reid blinked. "Why would you say that? Maybe he has a condition."

Sheila almost laughed. "A condition that nobody else knows about?" She pressed. "Seizures can be serious. People should be aware, shouldn't they?"

Reid shrugged. "I am not his mother or his doctor."

"No. But you are his _friend_. I saw the fear in your eyes as you carried him out. What's wrong with him?"

"It's complicated."

Lightning fought against the wind outside, the trees swaying on the makeshift battleground. Several pieces of debris hit the windows hard, a few people looking around in concern as the lights started to flicker.

"Try me."

For a fleeting moment, Reid almost gave in. Something in her eyes -Understanding?- made him do so, but as his watch beeped the 11:12 alarm that he had set, he shook his head, the moment of weakness fading. Sheila stared at the watch as if it had sprouted a head, her eyes wide, a hand over her mouth in surprise.

"He's Ascending, isn't he?" She said it more to herself than him, but he heard her anyway, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"What did you just say?" He growled.

She shook her head, turning away from him, and stomped fiercely toward the exit door that Caleb lay just beyond. She felt like she was in some retro '80's club, the lights overhead flickering on and off like a strobe light and only the white parts on things glowing like they were beneath a black light. Reid ran after her.

"Oh no you don't!" He grabbed her around the waist and pulled, her feet leaving the floor as she yelped in surprise and in pain. He flung her over his shoulder, caveman style.

"Reid, wait!" She banged her fists futilely against his back, hearing him grunt in frustration. "He needs me!"

Reid set her down and before she could make a move, he cradled her head roughly in his hands, staring hard into her eyes. "He'll be fine, I promise..."

Lightning slashed the sky mercilessly, the white hot energy catching a nearby tree trunk and setting it ablaze. The old, dry tree erupted into an explosion of flames, and that, mixed with Caleb's magical energy, sent a surge of upheaval in the air around the building. Sheila gasped, her own magic surfacing and pushing out, searching for Caleb's to connect with.

She could faintly hear screams in the background, chaos fluttering around her. She could feel the heat of the tree's flames as the windows imploded, raining down water and glass into the great hall. People shoved her this way and that and as the Power in the air amped, she swayed unsteadily on her feet, feeling sick to her stomach.

Sheila reached out a shaky hand to Reid, clutching his forearm. "Reid... I don't feel well..." Thunder rumbled, the rain pounding the building, people displacing the air as they rushed passed, running for safety in the dorms.

She couldn't breathe, her Power taking over her mind, casting her eyes to black. She shut them quickly, but it only added to her dizziness.

'_Little peach...'_

Reid helped her to the banister, rubbing her shoulders as she clutched her stomach with one arm, the other resting on the railing. The wood felt strange and rough beneath her clammy fingers. She did a few mental breathing exercises, but the pain in her chest and head only increased, just like the rain and lightning.

'_Down here...'_

Sheila opened her eyes slowly, the sight below making her immediately sick. Reid frowned with concern, rubbing small circles across her back, whispering ancient words of health and contentment under his breath as she threw up. Still dry heaving, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and let out a sob.

Chase Collins stood at the bottom of the stairs, a curious look on his face. Sheila groaned, tears running down her cheeks.

"No..." She shook her head. "No... It can't be..." _'You're the one from the beach...' _It was not a question, but a revelation and Chase nodded, grinning. _'And the boy in the woods...' _Another nod. Sheila wiped her hands roughly across her face and stepped away from Reid, her legs shaking with sickness and anger. She hobbled slowly toward the top of the stairs, her eyes, darkening with each step she took, never left Chase's face. Chase crossed his arms smugly over his chest as if to say "Bring it on.".

'_Did you kill my father?' _She asked, her voice gaining confidence, although her heart was breaking with confusion and betrayal. She mentally kicked herself for not sensing his Power before.

Chase shrugged, not quite answering, his attitude teasing. It only infuriated her more. "Who are you?" She yelled. "And what do you want?" A pang of fear and pain sliced across her stomach and she stopped her descent to double over, clutching the rail and her stomach. Reid was close behind, a few stray students racing up the stairs to get away. She could hear someone else's approach and sensing it was Tyler, she turned.

He leaned close to Reid, his face grim. "It's over. He's done."

Sheila let out a sob of relief, her vision swimming, the agony of invading Power causing her to retch again. She could hear Chase's laugh in her head and her eyes flashed.

"You bastard, what do you want?"

Chase merely grinned a deceitful grin and mouthed a single word: You.

Sheila blinked in the invading outside wind and he was gone. She could hear the faint wail of a fire truck in the distance, the ending notes to his mocking laugh. She groaned, her body feeling like it was being ripped in two. Her muscles were straining and cramping beneath her skin. Her head was pounding, body shaky and sweating, the room literally spinning around her.

She clutched the locket away from her neck, the ornament suddenly feeling too hot and too heavy against her skin, the dull Power within flaring to life. Sheila drew in a long, unsteady breath, feeling Caleb's Power unwind itself from hers and from the air, the room suddenly growing eerily cold. She slowly let the breath out, her blue eyes rolling in the back of her head and let the darkness take her.

A/N: Sorry it took so long. But I've been busy. Hope it's as good as I'd like to think it was! I know there's a lot happening at the end of this chapter, so please review with questions and comments! Thanks to those that were patient.


	24. We're All Mad Here

**CHAPTER 24:**

**We're All Mad Here**

Something wet was hopping across her forehead, sighing and muttering as it bounced back and forth, back and forth. She could feel something trickling down her face. It tickled and she raised a hand to wipe it away, stopping when she felt another warm hand close to her head. _'That's not mine...' _Senses on high alert, she put a vice-grip on the forearm and the body attached to it jumped in surprise.

Her eyes shot open with a low groan, her brain pounding an unrelenting rhythm in her head. The person's image was blurry around the edges and as she blinked rapidly in the dim light, it slowly swam into focus.

"Hey you." It said, dipping the washcloth in a bowl beside the bed. The person wrung it out with one skilled hand and continued to dance it along her forehead. Sheila blinked.

"Hi..." She croaked, her throat on fire.

"Can I have my arm back now?"

Sheila furrowed her eyebrows and it motioned towards its arm. She blushed and reluctantly let it go. "Sorry. I thought you were someone else..."

Tyler rubbed his arm with a tiny smile. "It's okay. I'm just glad you're finally awake."

Sheila wiped the sleep from her eyes, yawning. "How long have I been out?"

He shrugged. "It's almost 2 so a couple of hours, but I heard food poisoning can do that to you."

"Food poisoning?" She swallowed, the tangy aftertaste of bile stinging her sore throat. Her mind brought forth an unclear image of her hunched over, retching, while Reid rubbed her back and smoothed her hair from her face. _'How odd.' _She thought, turning her attention back to Tyler when she realized he was speaking again.

Tyler nodded. "Yeah, you got sick at the dance and we decided it would be better to bring you here where we would be able to keep an eye on you."

"We?"

"Me and the boys."

Sheila ran a clammy hand across her still damp forehead. Shaking her head, she tried to recall the details of tonight but for some reason, up until she left the dance floor with Tyler, her memories were blank. Black and endless in their nonexistence. She frowned. She remembered the song. The way she moved. Sweat dripping along her body as she laughed. She concentrated harder. Rain. So much rain. And thunder. The lightning was bright and scary. The wind fierce. She brought up a blurry image of dancing with Caleb, but beyond that... It pained her to try to remember...

"Where's Caleb?"

Tyler sighed and swung his legs over the side of the bed, pulling his body further from her, his shoulders hunching forward. He was silent for a few moments and she took the opportunity to finally stop and look at her surroundings. This was not the dining hall and this was certainly not her dorm room.

The room was vast, long in its length with a writing desk and matching bookshelf in the far corner, next to a door she guessed led to a bathroom. Two huge, curtainless windows sat to the right of the bed, a dresser and a full length mirror on the wall opposite them. The bed she awoke in was comfortable, blankets and pillows piled high on the king size mattress, an old medieval looking canopy sheltering her in from high above. It was simple, modern and yet sleek and mysterious. The room contained no pictures, no posters or stereo. Nothing to suggest that it belonged to anyone. Just another forgotten room in a mansion she guessed.

"Caleb's not here right now. He's..." A pause. Deep breath. "...out."

"When will he be back?"

He shrugged. "I don't know..."

She sat further up, leaning against the fluffy pillows when the room started to spin a bit. She groaned, a light sweat breaking out across her skin. "Where am I?"

"His house."

She gestured to the pillows. "Is this his room?"

Tyler turned and gave her a tiny smile, but quickly looked away again, a red blush creeping over his cheeks. "Uh no..." He coughed nervously. Sheila frowned.

"What? What's wrong?" She reached for him, her hand brushing his shoulder tentatively. It caused him to jump and scoot away, the movement so fast he fell off the bed with a thud. Sheila leaned over the side, her hair spilling forward over her shoulders and nearly touching the floor as she reached for him once more. "Tyler? Are you alright?"

"Yes." He squeaked. "It's just-... The blanket... Please pull it back up." He was literally twitching, his skin red and sweaty.

Sheila looked down at herself and realized that the dress she wore to the dance no longer covered her body. Instead it lay discarded at the bottom of the bed. "Oh!" She blushed, scrambling back into the bed and pulled the covers protectively against herself.

Tyler rolled his eyes skyward. _'Great. Now her cheeks are as pink as her nipples...' _He got up from the floor with a sigh and made his way to the dresser. Opening a drawer, he pulled out a faded blue button up shirt. He inspected it thoroughly before handing it to her behind his back with a muttered "Here you go." Sheila accepted it with an amused, yet thankful grin and easily slid into it, the fabric draping over her petite frame.

Sheila breathed deeply in, the shirt smelling of oranges and cinnamon. She smiled. "Thanks, Tyler."

He nodded. "You hungry?" She grimaced, clutching her stomach, the thought of food sending a chill down her spine. She shook her head with a frown. "Oh... Right... Food poisoning..." Tyler sighed. "Join me anyway. It'll do some good for you to get up and walk around."

"Okay. Sure." She scooted to the edge of the bed, adjusting the shirt around her legs as she stood.

Tyler held out his hand and she slipped hers comfortably into it. He smiled, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Ready?" She nodded, not meeting his eyes, then frowned. "What?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. I was just wondering..." Tyler raised his eyebrows, prompting her to go on. "Did you-" She sighed. "Did you undress me?"

He blushed, then shook his head. "No. I, uh, assumed you did it." He said quietly.

Sheila's frown deepened. "I'm sure I would've remembered..." _'Or would I... I don't even remember putting the dress on...' _She tried to rewind her night again but every time she got close to any detail that seemed significant, a sharp pain lanced through her head. She winced. _'Oh fuck that. I'm not getting a migraine just because my memory lapsed!' _She looked at Tyler, who had stopped in the bedroom's doorway, staring at her intently. She gave him a wide smile out of instinct and he pursed his lips. After a brief staring match, he finally started walking again, shaking his head with a scowl on his face.

Sheila let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding and rolled her sapphire eyes skyward. _'Great... Now the guy thinks I'm a TOTAL nutbag!...' _

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Danvers' house (or should she say mansion) was vast and dark, the occasional lightning bolt lighting up the hallway as they passed the tall windows. She saw in those few seconds ancient looking portraits of family members and alumni, the frames huge and gilded as they hung forgotten and dusty in the wallpapered hallway. She ran her fingers lightly over the tops of polished tables adorned with silk runners, vases of fresh flowers and symbolic statues decorating every other one. Rubbing her fingertips together to rid them of the slight dust, she smiled, her eyes falling upon a picture of a 7 year old Caleb crying, a rainbow haired clown standing next to him, birthday cake falling in clumps from the young boy's hair as Pogue, Reid, and Tyler stood on the other side of the table laughing.

Sheila picked up the frame and ran a finger over the birthday boy, sighing. Lost in thoughts of where the boy could be right now and if he was truly okay, she almost didn't hear the noise as she put the picture back on the table, the muffled cough of an unknown house occupant reaching her ears from somewhere behind her. Light she hadn't noticed before spilled into the hallway illuminating her bare feet from a slightly open door across the hall. Frowning, she glanced up and down the hallway, Tyler's retreating form turning a corner without noticing her departure from his side.

Curious, she took a step forward and brushed a hand along the edge of the door, pushing it open as she held her breath. The room beyond was a small, private area, dimly lit, the air somewhat foggy and held the faint traces of citrus. Sheila could see a bedroom through an open door on the other side of the sitting room, the vast bed pristine and untouched.

She threw a quick glance behind her before stepping further into the room, the hallway still empty and occasionally lit up by a rogue lightning bolt, no sign of Tyler anywhere.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tyler turned the corner, knowing full well that Sheila wasn't following him anymore and threw himself against the nearest wall, breathing hard. Bending at the knees, he slowly slid down the wallpaper and placed his head on his knees. _'Holy shit! I feel sick...' _He took a few practiced breaths that he learned from his family's doctor because he, unlike Reid who was so easygoing, had a tendency to worry... (_'Tyler Sims, you are a worrier.' Dr. Owens would say. 'And if you don't learn how to breathe properly in those situations that severely stress you out, you're going to end up face first on the floor, passed out cold due to lack of oxygen...'_)

'_Fuck you, Dr. Owens.' _Tyler thought bitterly. Finally the feeling to throw up subsided and Tyler lifted his head. Staring at the far wall, with its now dancing patterns and 3-D colors, he swayed a bit on his feet, the dizziness returning. "Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit." He said in rapid succession, rubbing his face.

"What the fuck...?" He groaned. Holding onto a nearby end table for support, he pulled himself to his feet and peeked around the corner. Sheila was nowhere to be seen, a pool of light from an open doorway suggesting that she had gone into the Madam Danvers' bedroom. He bit his lip, looking towards the other end of the hallway and contemplated going to Reid.

Shuffling his feet to the right, he took off down the hallway at a dead run.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

An old record player was singing softly in an otherwise unoccupied corner of the room, Tony Bennet's 'The Way You Look Tonight' making her smile. She rounded the corner of the love seat positioned in the middle of the room and found the source of the noise that had drawn her into the room in the first place.

Sheila paused in surprise. The woman was strewn elegantly across the cushions like some discarded jacket, her curled dark hair covering half her face. Sheila saw that she was fast asleep and upon seeing the half empty bottle of alcohol sitting beside a glass topped off with ice she figured she was passed out drunk. The woman did not stir, her breathing light, the swatch of silky fabric she called a nightgown rising slowly with each breath.

The woman's face was red and splotchy, a box of tissues and several of its contents used and crumpled on the floor. She had been crying. And for reasons that were beyond her, Sheila (for a brief moment) wondered why. Why was this woman, who seemingly had everything (gorgeous house, expensive car, society at her feet), crying?

Sheila sighed and threw another look over her shoulder. Not hearing any thunderous footsteps of panic and rescue coming down the hall she walked over to the tiny sofa as quietly as possible and kneeled down, picking up scattered tissues and placing them in a waste bin next to the coffee table.

She clinked the glass stopper of the bottle back onto the intoxicating substance and placed the glass full of ice in the bathroom, feeling the woman shouldn't wake, see the glass and alcohol and feel tempted to drink her problems away again.

Shuffling into the bedroom, she pulled a throw blanket from the edge of the bed and lightly placed it over the mysterious woman. Sheila straightened and looked at her. No, not looked. She openly stared. She sighed and bent over to brush hair from the woman's sleeping face. Unwillingly, thoughts of her mother entered her mind and guiltily a thought came to her. She wished that her mother was still around. She sighed again, the deep breath of air brushing across the woman's cheek as she let it out.

But she knew her mother never would've been happy if she stayed. In fact, she probably would've turned out just like this woman.

Cold.

Sheltered.

Beautiful, yet always crying in private.

The glint of gold caught her eye just as she turned to leave. Sheila leaned closer to Sleeping Beauty and saw a locket around her neck, tucked away in the dark waves of hair. She zoomed in on it with her preternatural eyesight and saw a cursive 'E' on the front of it.

'_Lockets must be a really popular gift around here...' _

She thought as she instinctively raised a hand to her own neck, feeling her way around her neckline for her own locket she recently inherited. All she felt was bare skin and upon making contact she undid a few buttons on the borrowed shirt to make sure with her own eyes that her hand was not playing tricks. She furrowed her eyebrows, lost. She had put it on before the dance she was sure of it.

But was she really...? Everything up until now has been static thoughts. Nothing real, just a bunch of fuzzy images. Chewing her bottom lip with worry, she was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she didn't even hear the man enter the room.

"Who are you?"

The voice made her jump and her eyes flew instinctively to the woman sleeping on the couch. Sheila let out a relieved breath, Sleeping Beauty still passed out. The man reached out and clapped a calloused hand heavily on her shoulder, making her jump again. A lick of Power heated her skin where the man touched her. She gasped when he spun her roughly around. Thankfully her feet cooperated and didn't cause her to stumble.

"And what the hell are you doing in here?"

Sheila forced her eyes up even though every cell in her intuitive brain was yelling at her to run away. _Fast. _When they finally locked with the hard gaze of the older man, her face crumpled into terror and confusion. Her hand flew to her mouth and was quickly followed by a scream.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tyler entered the game room with hurricane force wind (Category 4 to be exact), the heavy double doors swinging open and banging against the wall with a loud thud. Reid threw him a disdainful look and took a swig of his iced tea.

"What's your problem, Baby Boy?"

Tyler held up a finger, his eyebrows furrowing together as he tried to catch his breath. "I heard-" He sucked in a lungful of air. "-her thoughts..." He caught the water bottle Reid threw at him deftly with one hand and pulled a long drink from it. He took another deep breath and let it out with a 'Thanks.'.

Reid had gone back to his pool game and threw Tyler a casual sidelong glance. "What?"

"I said I heard her thoughts."

"Who's?"

"Sheila's."

Reid blinked. "So?"

"So?" Tyler ate up the distance between them in a few long strides. "What do you mean so?"

"I don't know why you're trippin'. I read people's minds occasionally. Haven't you ever done that before?"

Tyler swallowed some more water. "Yeah, but on purpose. This time..." He shook his head. "Never mind. Forget it."

Reid stopped fooling around with the billiard balls, already bored of pushing them around halfheartedly with the end of his cue stick. He looked at Tyler. "What? Just say it."

"That's just it. I don't know how. I-" He paused, collecting his thoughts and tried to form them into coherent ones so he didn't look completely helpless and insane. "I was in the bedroom waiting for her to wake up and then she did and-"

Reid laid his cue stick across the green tabletop, knocking a few balls around as he did so, and came around to Tyler. He placed his hands on Tyler's shoulders and forced his boyfriend's gaze to lock with his. "Go on, baby." He whispered encouragingly.

Tyler nodded. "And we were on our way out the door, right, and I grab her hand and suddenly all these thoughts and memories come flooding into my head. No Power. No pain. They just came effortlessly. And they were all hers. I stopped and looked at her, you know, to see if she could hear mine. I even said her name in my head a few times but she didn't react-"

"Why would she?"

Tyler shrugged Reid's hands from his shoulders and turned away. "I don't know." He said, growing annoyed by Reid's condescending tone and that pitying look he kept giving him. "I do know that it didn't feel right... My hand felt like it was on fire, Reid... And the really freaky part?" He turned and looked at Reid, his eyes wide and childlike. Reid's hard gaze crumpled. "That's not the first time it's happened. I mean I've never heard her thoughts before but sometimes when she touches me..." He cleared his throat. "Does it ever happen to you? Do you feel odd when she touches you too?"

Tyler's eyes had grown hopeful. Hopeful that would Reid would say 'Yes' and confirm that he wasn't just imagining things. "Reid?"

"Every time..." Reid whispered, so low that Tyler asked him to repeat himself. "I said every time... I feel it every time she touches me..."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gorman Twoberry resisted the urge to place his hands over his ears, furrowing his eyebrows at the girl's strange behavior. He shook his head when she finished screaming and took a step towards her, slinging the soft leather Ralph Lauren backpack over one massive shoulder. Sheila watched the movement with alert eyes, her gaze catching the word Baril on the top flap.

"Now was that absolutely necessary? Did you really have to do that, Ms... Hmm..." He paused. "I'm sorry but who are you again?"

Sheila blinked, bringing her shaking hand away from her mouth. The man took another step towards her, his face finally catching the light. He was tall, that's for sure, and she had to tilt her head further back to look into his eyes. They were an odd shade of brown (In fact, in this light, they almost looked red...) and were sunken slightly into his head. He was also very thin, the skin on his face stretched across his skull, making his features more prominent and eerie.

She swallowed. "I'm, uh..." _'Don't answer the question! There's something not right about this guy!' _Her mind screamed its warning, her voice quivering on her answer. She took a deep breath, hoping to calm her nerves, and almost gagged, the sour stench of a backed up sewer burning her throat. Sheila looked at the man before her, her now watering eyes widening. _'He smells of Death...'_ She didn't know how she knew that but she felt that this was one thought she could _not _ignore. She coughed, the smell choking more air from her the closer he got.

Gorman sighed. "Look, I didn't mean to scare you. Kids come and go in this house all the time and-"

"Who are you?" Sheila interrupted, surprised at her boldness. "Your eyes, frightening as they may be, aren't white, so you're not a Creature. And as far as I can tell, you're still alive, so you're definitely not a Dybbuk. And you're talking, so that crosses out the whole Darkling thing..." _'Why the fuck am I rambling?! He could kill me!' _

The man blinked down at her, a sinister grin twisting his face to a new level of creepy. A chill ran down her spine, her adrenaline going into overdrive. Her eyes flashed in warning, the pupils expanding slightly to consume just the blue middle parts. "Who the fuck are you?" She said in a no bullshit tone.

"Who am I?" Gorman slid the backpack off his shoulder and set it on the ground by his feet in slow, deliberate movements. His eyes never left hers and she stumbled backward as he came towards her, his body tense and intimidating like a lion about to pounce on an innocent lamb. _'She's here, alone and unprotected? God, this is too easy! Look at her. So small and weak...' _

His voice grew louder and sounded like rocks tumbling in a concrete mixer. "Who am I?" He lunged at her, the question a mere growl leaving his lips.

She let out a loud 'Yip!' of surprise and threw her hands out in front of her. "Don't come any closer!" Her eyes flashed, her survival instinct overriding her fear. "I'll scream again I swear!" Sheila looked around the room, quickly searching for a weapon of any kind. She cursed. Her Powers would have to suffice. She straightened herself to her full height and clenched her hands into fists. "Just answer the question and I might second guess Banishing you."

Gorman threw his head back and laughed _hard._ Sheila shuffled further away from him. His body shook with banked Power, his laughter merging into a malicious growl. "Banish me?" His voice had changed completely. It was deeper and had the faint traces of an echo, like several voices were talking at once. "There are forces at work that have been in play since before this little Covenant was born." He spat. "You, Reid, Tyler, Pogue, and _Caleb_-" The last name was nothing more than a bark. "-are merely pawns being shuffled around and manipulated because of James' mistakes."

'_There's that James again...' _Sheila took that new information with a grain of salt. "Well this has been lovely... Really it has but-" She pulled the energy from the air surrounding her as she spoke, molding it into a good size Banishing ball. "I don't feel like getting harassed, mauled, and/or killed tonight so I'm just going to take care of you then go, okay?" She brought the ball forward, her eyes going complete black, and took a deep breath.

Gorman saw her hesitation and sent out a spell of his own. An Eraser spell, to be exact. It wouldn't do much good for her already altered memories but he had no choice. The Powerlust was too great when she was around and admittedly, he got a bit carried away with the whole Glamour and "Boo!" thing.

Sheila's spell dissipated, an unseen wind making her hair swirl around her head. She wobbled on her feet, having this sudden urge to take a nap. She shook her head and looked around her, her eyes returning to their beautiful blue. _'Where am I? Where's Tyler?' _

Gorman _almost _felt sorry for her. He placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "Madam, are you all right?" His previous malice disappeared and was replaced by the decrepit, butler routine.

Sheila looked at the man who had spoken. His face was worried and his eyes were kind. She nodded. "I don't know what came over me..." She slumped to her knees, cradling her head in her hands. "I'm just so tired..." The words came out muffled behind her palms.

"Gorman?" The figure stepped into the room, his body tense, his blue eyes questioning the scene before him. "What's going on in here?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tyler shook his head. "It feels wrong yet _so _right at the same time. And then I look into her eyes and I get completely lost... And then in the span of a few seconds, she moves away from me and the spell is broken and I feel dizzy, like I sat up too fast or something..."

"Spell?" Reid tapped his fingers along the edge of the pool table. "You think it's a spell?"

"No..."

"Then why'd you say 'spell'?"

Tyler crinkled his forehead. "It's just a word, Reid."

"But what if it was?"

"What? A word?"

"No." Reid growled. "A spell."

"Oh..." Tyler shrugged. "Why would you think that?"

"Open your eyes, Tyler. Haven't you noticed all the weird shit going on? Isn't it kind of strange that Sheila happens to arrive at Spenser the very same day that it all starts?"

Tyler shook his head. "It's a coincidence."

"Remember what Gorman used to tell us at Camp Iwanahee?" He looked at Tyler, prompting him to answer. Tyler simply pursed his lips, annoying Reid even more. "_'There's no such thing as coincidence. Not in this world. Everything's manipulated.'_" Reid quoted. "Remember?"

"Yes..." Tyler said quietly, embracing the fact that maybe, just this once, Reid was right. He shrugged. "So what do we do? Tell Caleb?"

Reid shook his head. "No." This got him a cross look from Tyler. "I mean, no, not now. Maybe we should just wait." He sighed. "I don't know. Maybe it's nothing." He nodded, the gesture a desperate ploy to try and convince not only Tyler but himself as well. "Maybe Caleb's Ascension somehow threw our Powers out of balance and caused some inexplicable things to happen. I mean it was our first Ascension..." He plastered on a reassuring smile, gathering Tyler into his arms. "Don't worry about it too much, Sweetness, or you'll get those nasty little wrinkles on your forehead." And, as if dotting a period at the end of a sentence, he leaned forward and placed a kissed to Tyler's forehead.

Tyler pulled away with a small laugh. "You think that's all it is? Unbalanced Power?" Reid nodded and Tyler gave up. "Thanks, baby..." He leaned forward a bit and shyly kissed him. "Stay strong for me... I need you..." The words vibrated against Reid's lips, the kiss buzzing the blonde's brain out of whack.

Reid pulled the younger boy closer, cupping his face in his gloved hands, and deepened the kiss. Abruptly, he pulled back, making Tyler whimper. "For you? Anything..." He whispered, his ice blue gaze hard and yet full of love. "Anything for you..."

Tyler sighed, not wanting the leave the warmth of his boyfriend's arms. "I guess I should go and find Sheila. Lord knows what she's getting herself into..."

Reid nodded, reluctantly letting him go, and smiled. "The White Knight to the rescue again..." Tyler threw a smile over his shoulder as he exited the room.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gorman straightened as Tyler entered the room. "Master Sims." He gave Tyler a low bow. "I saw this young lady enter Madam Danvers' quarters and when I went to follow her I think I frightened her so much that she nearly fainted." He said this with a slight twinkle in his voice, eyeing Sheila on the floor. Her color had returned, which was good, but how can he explain that vacant look in her eyes. "She's a bit dazed but I think after sitting for a spell-" He laughed a little on the inside at his pun. "-she'll be fine. Perhaps some water will help."

Tyler nodded. "Thanks, Gorman. I can handle it from here." He said, dismissing the butler into the shadows of the mansion.

Gorman left without another word, sighing his relief. He peered down at the backpack in his hands. "Next order of business..." He smiled, fiddling the straps as he made his way down the hall.

After a few more deep breaths, Sheila stood and gave Tyler an embarrassed smile before sidling up next to him. She did not meet his questioning eyes, knowing he was angry with her, his fists were clenched at his sides.

"You shouldn't be in here." It was a command and for a moment she was hurt that he would use such a tone with her.

"I- I'm sorry..." She stammered. She shrugged, not knowing what else to say, and followed him as he turned quickly (and quietly) from the couch and swept gracefully out the room. She threw a last glance at Sleeping Beauty and clicked the door shut behind her. "Tyler?" Her voice was soft, pleading. "You can't be mad at me."

Tyler barked out a laugh. "I can't?"

Sheila shook her head and puckered out her bottom lip, her eyes going innocently wide, false tears shimmering across their sapphire surfaces. "No..." She sniffed and his frustration quickly faded away, his face breaking into a small smile.

"You don't fight fair." Tyler reached out and took her hand, tugging her away from the room and the mysterious woman.

Sheila grinned. "Never said I did."

"I thought you were right behind me. What were you doing in there anyways?"

"I..." She thought about her answer. _'What was I doing?' _"...don't..." _'Remember...' _She wanted to say the last word but knew if she did it would get her another round of questions from Tyler. She sighed, a lump in her throat forming as she fought hard to hold back her tears. "...know... I don't know."

Her naked feet padded quietly over the lush carpet as Tyler led her to a far corner of the house, Eminem's 'Superman' getting louder as they approached. The walls seemed to vibrate with the back beat of the song and Sheila could hear muffled noises on the other side of a set of heavy wooden doors.

"So who was she?"

Tyler gave her a sidelong glance and sighed deeply, tugging open a door. "Caleb's mom." He went into no further details, his tone of voice rough and final. Sheila's mouth opened to respond but he pulled her into the game room before she could.

Upon seeing who it was, Reid immediately stopped his combo shot and walked over to the stereo, turning the music down to a dull thrum. He stared at Sheila and opened his mouth, but shrugged and closed it quickly. She gave him a tiny smile, her eyes passing between him and Tyler, who had taken a seat by the far wall, chewing his bottom lip, leaving her to stand in the doorway alone and exposed.

"Hi." She said quietly, bowing her head to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

A moment of silence passed before Tyler cleared his throat. "Get her something to drink, would you, Reid?"

"Oh no. You don't have to. I can get it myself." She padded quietly to where Reid stood, two pairs of eyes watching her curiously.

Reid scratched his head with a gloved hand and shrugged at a door across the game room. "Kitchen's through there. Help yourself." Sheila smiled and nodded her thanks. They watched her practically glide across the room, her grace and gentle presence bringing a slight smile to Reid's lips. She paused with her hand on the open doorframe, her body turning a little in their direction. "I'll be right back." Her eyes flashed golden for a brief moment, her body flushing in a quick heat. "Play nice, boys..."

Fumbling for a light switch, Sheila entered the kitchen, the iridescent bulbs flaring to life as she made her way slowly to a random cupboard. Opening it, she pulled a glass from a shelf and stood in front of the sink, watching the whirlpool of water go helplessly down the drain. Cursing her succubus half to hell once again, she shook her head and felt the faint glow of her golden eyes ebb away.

She slipped her cupped hands under the chilly fall of tap water, filling them to the brims of her fingers and brought it up to her face. The splash of water was a shock to her flaming hot skin, leaving a sizzling trail of steaming water as it made its way down her throat and disappeared into her shirt. She let out a tiny 'Mmm' of approval, tipping her head back and rolling her neck slowly on her shoulders.

Sighing deeply, she stood over the sink for who knows how long, her shoulders hunched and her eyes closed, just listening to the sloosh of the water swirling down the drain as she contemplated her sanity.

**A/N: Took me long enough, huh? Here's the deal: I have the next 3 chapters already written so the faster and more reviews you guys give me, the faster I'll post the new chapters. Sound fair? Then what are you waiting for?! Hit that review button, baby!**


	25. Down the Rabbit Hole

**CHAPTER 25:**

**Down the Rabbit Hole**

Pogue stomped into Caleb's kitchen, wrestling his bike helmet off with a frustrated groan. Since Caleb's disappearing act after his Ascension at the dance, Pogue had been out riding the small back streets of Ipswich looking for him. He checked every single place that held any significant memory to him with no such luck. His best friend was still M.I.A..

With a sigh, he set his helmet on the counter and threw his keys in the small wicker basket beside the fridge. Making his way around the little island in the middle of the room, he stopped short when he saw Sheila standing, unmoving, at the sink. Her head was down, her back hunched, her legs crossed at the ankles as if she were deep in thought.

Earlier that night he had popped his head into the guest room, prior to his one man search party for a missing swim team captain, and found her sleeping, nothing but pillows surrounding her on both sides. He smiled, loving the way her face was smushed up against the bejeweled hunter green comforter. His eyes swept the room and, seeing no one in sight, he went towards the bed.

The soft hum of her breathing reached his ears, along with the thunderous rush of water. Someone was in the bathroom, showering. Pogue could see the steam coming from under the door in slow, inviting tendrils.

"Probably Tyler..." He looked at Sheila, reached out, swept her hair from her back. She let out a little 'Mmm' and snuggled closer to the pillows. He knew he shouldn't but seeing her lying there asleep, her mouth parted on a silent and tantalizing sigh, he felt he had no other chose. Willing his Powers forth, he gently levitated her a few inches above the bed and slid the comforter down.

Softly, like a hand caressing a lover's cheek, he set her back down on the mattress, the blanket tucking in on her from all sides. She turned onto her back with a tiny groan, her mouth opening and closing a few times. He heard the shower knobs squeak off and Pogue stepped back into the shadows (just in case she woke up), making quick work of her dress.

He imagined the zipper sliding down, her smooth back becoming exposed, the straps falling from her shoulders, her nipples tightening in the cool mansion air. Pogue suppressed his moan, clenching his hands into hard fists, surprised to find her dress rumpled in his right hand a moment later.

He brought it to his face, burying his nose into the silky fabric, and took a deep, intoxicating breath. _'This is definitely not helping...' _He thought, smiling against the dress. The bathroom door clicked open and with a flash of his obsidian eyes, Sheila's dress was discarded at the foot of the bed and Pogue was left to catch his breath in the hallway, her scent clinging to the inside of his nose, his brain (as well as other parts of his body) buzzing with confusion and excitement.

Pogue broke his walk down memory lane, bringing his focus back to the present with a "Hmm" of indecision, and threw a look over his shoulder.

Through the open doorway, he could see Tyler walk over to Reid and gently tug the pool stick from his boyfriend's hand and casually sprawl himself along the edge of the pool table. His wrist flicked with perfect ease completing the combo shot the two players had been arguing over with a slight grin.

Reid snickered. "You fucking leech."

"Aw..." Tyler stuck out his bottom lip. "Is Draco Malfoy's doppelganger getting pissy? Just because I don't suck as hard as your mom doesn't mean you gotta get all malignant on me."

Pogue laughed when Reid stuck out his tongue at Tyler. The youngest of the group made his way back around the table, setting the cue stick against its edge, and sauntered by an impassive Reid. Reid shot his boyfriend a lustful look, their eyes locking briefly, Tyler's hand passing possessively across the small of his back as he made his way to the bar, pouring himself another glass of Long Island iced tea. Pogue sighed. _'No point in going in there...' _He ran a hand through his long golden hair and turned back toward the sink. Sheila was still standing there, obviously unaffected by his presence because she hadn't moved a single inch.

Pogue threw one last look over his shoulder, checking to make sure Tyler and Reid were still occupied, and smiled as he began observing the long curve of her legs. Her thighs, smooth and tan, were halfway covered by an oversized dress shirt. The sleeves were rolled expertly up, showing off the elegant planes of her arms and hands. Most of her hair was still pinned up but a few curly rogue locks fell forward, blocking her face from his view. He blushed indecent thoughts of his best friend's girl away and stepped closer to her without a sound. Reaching out, he touched her hair lightly, the silky texture falling through his fingers playfully, and, with a more aggressive stroke, pushed some of it from her shoulder.

"Is she sleeping...?" He said in a low, sing song voice. She did not turn in his direction. In fact, it seemed as if she weren't breathing at all. Pogue frowned and peeked around her curtain of hair to get a closer look at her face. Her eyes were closed, he saw, and though her fists were clenching the edge of the sink in a panicked manner, her face seemed relaxed, as if she were concentrating hard on something or making a wish.

Either way, Pogue had never seen a more beautiful sight in his life...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"_...The pentagram is not a representation of evil. It's pure harmony. It consists of five individual points joined together by a circle. It is a symbol for the disparate becoming one. A joining of unique elements: _

_Knowledge._

_Anger._

_Strength._

_And passion. _

_The elements can either come together and become strong... Or be consumed by the temptations... And if that is the case, nothing will survive..."_

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

'_There are forces at work that have been in play since before this little Covenant was born... You... are merely pawns...'_

Sheila's eyes snapped open. She lifted her head, blinking away the frustrated tears, and took in her surroundings once more. She was in a kitchen. '_Not my own...' _She concentrated, her eyes crinkling at the corners. _'No... Caleb's...'_

"Caleb..." She said, looking down. The water was shut off, her hands clenching the edge of the sink so hard her knuckles were white, her arms shaking. She looked at her glass on the counter. It was full. The ice tinkled a sweet melody as it cracked in the temperature change. She furrowed her eyebrows. _'Did I do that?'_

She ran a hand across her tired face, shaking the sleep from her head. _'What's wrong with me tonight? I can't remember anything that I've done...' _She picked up the glass, holding it to the light, and studied it, trying to replay the moment a few minutes before when she had actually filled it.

"You know-" Sheila jumped at the sudden break in noise and threw the owner of the voice a savage look. "-you shouldn't look at your water with so much regret. There are dolphins in Africa that had to grow up with practically nothing just so you could drink that."

She gave the glass a skeptical look then set it on the counter between her and the other occupant. "It's almost 3 in the morning, Pogue, please don't tease me."

Pogue shrugged from his spot against the doorframe where he had gone back to studying her. His form was casual as he threw her a tiny smile. "I respect you far too much to tease you..." He straightened his stance and quietly made his way to her, the rectangular kitchen island the only thing separating them. She watched him with mild amusement as he scooted the glass towards himself, water droplets marking the counter, the grin still holding his mouth captive as he brought her glass to his lips. She stood there silently regarding him, her eyes fixated on his throat as he pulled the water down in one long and _very sexy _gulp.

He smacked his lips in cool satisfaction and swirled the last dregs of tap in the glass nonchalantly, his eyes catching hers. "Wouldn't dream of it..." He set the glass back on the wooden surface and ran a hand through his long hair. His mouth turned down at the corners for a moment before they lifted once more into a grin. His eyes looked in her direction but not at her, as if his mind were playing a scene faraway in his head.

Pogue blinked. "Unless, of course, you wanted me to..."

Sheila felt her face grow warm and quickly averted her gaze before her succubus got involved. She cleared her throat, grabbing the glass and walking over to the sink, refilling it quietly. She took a sip, the water way too cold and tasteless as it slid across her tongue. She turned to face Pogue once more. "African dolphins, huh?"

He nodded. "It's true." She lifted an eyebrow and he shrugged. "Google it."

"Right..." She rested her hip against the sink, cradling the glass as she watched him move about the kitchen comfortably. When he went to pull a bowl from a cupboard above her head, the proximity of his scent made her mind swirl with possibilities. She could smell the last wisps of his Power clinging to his skin. Sheila's head snapped back. _'Wait... What?' _He smelled of Tabasco sauce. She looked at Pogue, her nose wrinkled in disgust, and he blinked.

"What?" He asked, looking down at himself. "Do I smell bad or something?" Her laugh came out louder than she intended and Pogue quirked an eyebrow, taking a few cautious steps away from her. "Fine... Don't tell me."

She tried to ease him with a smile but she feared that it made her look more psychotic so she resorted back to sipping politely on her nasty tap water. She had read about this in her father's journal. _'Hmmm... I know this one...' _Shuffling through her catalogue of page excerpts, she quickly found the right entry. '_When the Sons Use, they leave a trail of magic behind. Some can see it while others, although rare, can taste it. I... Well I guess... I can smell it...' _Sheila shook her head. _'Weird...' _She frowned. _'But not half as weird as me talking to myself in my own head!' _

Out of the corner of her eye, she studied him, tapping her glass with her fingernails, deep in thought. She realized that he must have Used that day he picked her up to go riding too... Sheila blinked the burn from her eyes, the lingering sting of him still hanging in the air around her. He had Used recently and for a panicked moment she hoped it had nothing to do with Caleb...

Pogue (who was now sitting on the other side of the island... FAR away from her...) poured himself a bowl of Fruity Pebbles, the crackling of the cereal in cold milk deafening in the silence. Sheila quietly observed the eating habits of the opposite sex, quickly learning that they ate just like they performed many other tasks: fast and hard. She noted the way his tongue darted out every now and then to catch a drop of milk and the way his taut muscles could be seen beneath his leather jacket as he hunched over the counter.

She knew she _really _shouldn't like the way his hands, rough and hardened from many hours spent working on his bike, cradled the small plastic bowl and yet were still feminine enough to make her some kick ass hot chocolate. She wondered for more than a brief second how his hand would feel as it cupped her ass, his other one grabbing a fistful of her hair, yanking her head back with a deep growl, her own tongue slowly darting out to lick the milk from his-

He dropped his spoon in the bowl with a satisfied groan and Sheila blinked away her mini fantasy. She tampered the naughty thoughts running through her mind by taking another long drink, stepping to the right a bit as Pogue sidled up next to her at the sink. The rinsed out bowl clattered in the sink and she jumped, her intake of breath causing Pogue to frown and water to slosh down her chin and chest.

He reached out and she flinched back, her feet stumbling over each other, the glass nearly slipping from her hand. Sheila let out a nervous laugh as Pogue tugged the water from her grip, setting it on the counter behind her. His long, brownish gold hair brushed her face as his body slid innocently across hers, their chests nearly touching. Cursing Caleb's Ascension to hell and back for scrambling her brain and Powers tonight, she let her eyes flutter shut and breathed deeply in, the scent of Tabasco now gone, the smell of woods and ocean spray filling her lungs.

Her body (well her succubus half) answered in its own embarrassing way, the fragrance of fresh peaches invading the air around them. She felt, rather than saw, the change in his body. He stiffened, his leather jacket creaking beneath his rolling muscles. A light (and still _very_ embarrassing) shock wave from her rocked the occupants of the kitchen.

He looked at her, saw her eyes were closed and her breaths were hitching, coming in way too fast. Pogue frowned and instead of stepping back, he moved closer. "You okay?"

When she opened her eyes to answer, Pogue's face was right in front of hers. She jerked back with a gasp, banging the back of her legs against the counter. "I, ah, I didn't even hear you move..."

"That's irrelevant..." His hand reached up to wipe the water delicately from her chin with a paper towel Sheila hadn't noticed he was holding. "I want to know if you're okay."

Sheila made a noise, halfway between a gasp and a moan, in the back of her throat. "Yeah... I'm just..." Another shock wave, this one stronger as his thumb traced the outline of her bottom lip. "...peachy..." She instinctively leaned into his touch, the irony of that sentence causing a small smile to tug at her lips.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He groaned and rolled onto his side, his newly bulked up muscles stretching to their full potential. The pain shot from the top of his big toe all the way up to the hair follicles on his fluffy head. Dust kicked up as he let out a surprised breath of air. God, he felt like shit. Not only was he naked, his clothes torn to shreds when his limbs filled out and extended, but his head was also killing him, his very brain throbbing with fresh knowledge of worlds and people he didn't even know.

He shuddered when he felt someone nudge the back of his calf with the toe of a finely made leather shoe. "Dad?" He croaked, his mouth sucking in some of the floor's dust bunnies. "Is that you?"

"Yes, Caleb. I'm here."

Caleb groaned, shifting his position on the floor, pulling his arm that had fallen asleep from beneath his heavy body. "Am I-" He sneezed causing more dust to kick up. "-dead?" His head _**pounded**_. "Is this Heaven?"

A chuckle from his James' wheelchair. "No, my Son. You are very much alive."

"I feel like shit."

Another rumble of laughter. "Good." Caleb heard the squeak of the tires as James scooted towards him. "It means you're doing great."

"Great." He spat, stretching his arms over his head, the faint glow on his left forearm catching his attention. "What the fuck...?" He pulled his arm to eye level. There, glowing innocently on his skin, was a pentagram. "Dad...?"

"Oh I see you found the tattoo." There was an annoyingly delightful edge to the older man's voice.

Caleb raised his eyebrows. "Tattoo?"

James shrugged. "Technically it's not a _real _tattoo but when members of the Covenant Ascend they are Marked with the pentagram. I don't know why or how it happens. It just does. My generation's is on the back of our necks. Want to see?" Caleb shook his head. James shrugged, unaffected by his Son's sour mood. "It'll fade eventually and only show up every time you Use. Fortunately for you-" He piped up cheerfully. "-when that little decoration appears that means the transition is almost over."

"Fantastic." Caleb rolled his eyes closed with a sigh. "I don't think I can take much more of this."

"I think all you have to do now is drink the fresh chicken blood and you'll be officially 'Ascended'. Of course-" A thoughtful pause. "-you'll have to catch and kill the chicken first..."

"I have to do what?!" Caleb shot up so fast. "Ooh..." He placed a hand to his forehead. "Bad idea..."

"Easy, Caleb." His father said through his laughter. "I'm only joking." James tugged at the blanket draped over his legs. "Here. You need this more than I do."

Caleb stood on wobbly legs. The floor seemed further away from his eyes now, the furniture around him miniature compared to his size. He attempted to wrap it around a waist that had expanded about four inches but something kept getting caught... He looked down and nearly dropped the blanket. His eyes widened. His waist wasn't the only thing that had grown four inches... And the twin weights hanging just below that seem to have swelled a bit too... They were rounder, firmer.

He turned away from his father's amused stare, his body flushing with embarrassment. His erection, smooth and proud, touched him just below his belly button now. He palmed it, feeling the soft skin against his fingertips and placed it carefully against his stomach, using his other hand to clumsily wrap the blanket around his waist. "Ho-ly shiiit..." He said slowly and deliberately. "What the hell am I supposed to with that...?"

"Do I need to have THAT talk with you again, Son?" Caleb started, forgetting in his moment of surprised pleasure that his father was in the room. James huffed. "What are you doing here anyway?"

Caleb shrugged. "I felt it would be safer with you." He ran a hand through his hair. It was damp with sweat. "I couldn't be around her. She was the first thing on my mind after the Power subsided and suddenly I had this urge to..." The sentence trailed off, his face blushing scarlet.

"Yes, I know that feeling... It's a bitch, but well..." James smiled. "Smart of you to come here then. Wouldn't want you to Claim her in front of every one, now would we?"

"Not that I would know what to do..." Caleb grumbled.

James let out a wheezy chuckle, pulling out a handkerchief from the breast pocket of his pajamas to dab at the spittle on his bottom lip. "Don't worry, Caleb." He coughed into the silk fabric. "When the time comes, you'll just know. I told you Ascension comes with a wealth of knowledge from many, many generations before you. All you have to do is ask and the answers of the world will come to you."

"Interesting..." Caleb sighed. "But how will I know that I'm doing the _right _thing, if you know what I mean..."

"Why are you asking me? I'm an old man. Don't you have some horny friends you can pester with these questions?"

Caleb grinned. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"Forget it. Look-" James coughed again. "You ever watch a dirty movie, Son?"

"Dad?!"

"I'm serious. You ever watch a porno with your buddies?"

"DAD?!"

James shrugged, a grin tugging at the corners of his wrinkled mouth. "Or alone, if that's what you prefer..."

Caleb tightened the blanket against his waist. "I'm going to take a shower." He said quickly. He headed for the door, his gaze avoiding his father.

"Answer the damn question, Caleb."

Caleb stopped and turned. He sighed. "One or two..." He mumbled with a one shoulder shrug.

"Well the noises the girl makes. You know the ones that make you feel all hot and funny down there just by hearing them? Well if the girl your with makes those, only not so over the top and dramatic like in the movies, more like a soft sigh or a whimper, then-" He made a noise, a mix between a cough and a laugh. "-Then you'll know you're doing something right."

"Er... Thanks." Caleb bounced on the balls of his feet, looking anywhere but at his dad. Finally he clapped his hands together. "Well, this has been sufficiently awkward... I think I'll go take that shower now."

James leaned forward in his wheelchair, setting the used handkerchief on the coffee table in front of him. "A tip, my boy."

"I already know how to get to 2nd _and _3rd base..."

"Quit bragging and listen, would you?" James shook his head, mumbling curse words to himself. "Keep the water temperature low. Your skin is going to sting like you got a really bad sunburn for a couple of days so be weary of your surroundings."

Caleb nodded. "Okay. I'll see you later."

"You better. I'm sick of this once a week visitation bullshit." James wheeled his way to the couch and carefully slid himself onto the puffy sofa. He groaned, easing into the cushions with a sigh. "Gorman left you a change of clothes in my bedroom."

Caleb felt a twang of guilt. He knew he should spend more time with his father but things just kept getting in the way. He was at a loss for words. Although James was missing or sick for most of his childhood and Caleb had to navigate this whole Power thing mostly by himself, his dad was genuinely trying to be his friend. Trying really hard to make up for lost time because he was a jerk and felt that other, bigger, egoistic goals were more important than Caleb or his wife.

Caleb sighed. "Thanks again, Dad."

James closed his eyes slowly to keep the onslaught of tears from falling. He could feel his Son's emotions coming off of him in gales, a feat he had picked up and perfected from Wayne Parry, his best and truest friend. "Caleb?" He croaked, emotion clogging his throat. "You're a good, smart kid. Don't make the same mistakes I did..."

Caleb clenched his hands into hard fists and looked down at his forearm. "I won't." He called over his shoulder. The tattoo glowed ominously in the dark hallway, the skin surrounding it was raw and puffy.

'_I won't because I will NEVER be like you...' _He thought angrily and made his way toward the bathroom.

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Pogue looked down at her, swallowing hard, the last bites of Fruity Pebbles lodged in his throat. _'God... Just look at her... Now I know why Caleb lov-' _His hand left her soft, female skin but rapidly descended again to slide down her throat. He couldn't believe he was actually doing this, a light sweat breaking over his skin, the leather jacket suddenly feeling too heavy and stifling. _'All she'd have to do is say the word and I would throw her up on this counter so fast...'_ He traced her collarbone with a single fingertip, following the water trail on the bone to her sternum and down. He gritted his teeth, his lips desperately wanting to follow the path of his fingers._ 'It would be so damn easy...'_

'_No! Not Pogue too!' _Sheila's eyes snapped open at that thought, her irises dilated at she looked at him in curious anticipation. Pogue smiled down at her, his finger leaving her skin and playing with the top button on her shirt. He leaned further in, his breath sweet on her skin.

"Are you cold?" She shook her head vigorously, confused by the question. "You're shaking..." His hand dropped the shirt button and slid back up her chest, underneath her shirt, missing her nipple by mere nanometers. She gasped, his palm warm and inviting. "And your heart is racing... Is something the matter?"

"No." Her answer came out in a breathless whisper, but she shook her head anyway, just in case he didn't hear.

He pushed a few wisps of hair from her face, smiling. He let the tendrils slip silently through his fingers. "I've always wanted to do that..." He laughed then, the noise a deep rumble in the small kitchen. His face grew serious suddenly, his laughter dying away, and he turned his chocolate eyes to hers once more. He licked his lips and drew in a deep breath as if he had just come to a very important decision. He cocked his head slightly, his eyes flashing. "And this..."

Sheila watched with wide golden eyes as his head dipped down, his long chestnut hair brushing her cheeks. His lips brushed hers cautiously, his tongue a velvet soft rush against her trembling lips.

**A/N: Whoa!!! That chapter definitely took me somewhere I was NOT planning on going... Strange how that sometimes happens, huh? Leave me reviews... They make me happy! (And happy people post new chapters faster...!)**


	26. Curiouser and Curiouser!

**A/N: Damn! It's been a while since I've updated and I just want to say that I am truly sorry for holding out on you guys... I know a lot of people were probably wondering if I was even going to continue this story and the answer is 'yes, of course I am'. So here's the latest. You know the drill: Enjoy and review, please. Oh and you'll notice the work BREAK bold and in all caps a few times throughout the chapter. This new document thing on fanfiction won't let me upload symbols and what not so I had to find another way to distinguish between different scenes. So BREAK doesn't mean anything significant, it just means I'm shifting into a new scene.**

**CHAPTER 26:**

**Curiouser and Curiouser!**

'_This CANNOT be happening!' _Sheila placed her hands on Pogue's chest, feeling his own heart racing beneath her palms, and took a deep breath. "Pogue..." Her voice was low, a mere whisper at a rock concert. "Pogue. Stop."

"Why?" He murmured against her lips.

"Because..." She pushed him tenderly back a few steps. "I don't want to know what you really think of me. You have to stop."

Pogue used the back of his hand to wipe his mouth, his face red with lust. "What's wrong?" His voice was rough and Sheila could see he was trying to restrain himself. "You look confused."

"Well-" She cleared her throat and straightened her stance (although at the moment she wasn't feeling very brave). "I was just wondering what you were doing..."

Pogue stared at her, hurt and rejected yet not wanting to trade this moment for anything else in the world. Finally, he shrugged, his eyes flashing black for a moment. "Nothing." He balled the paper towel in his fist and launched it into the sink. "Just helping you out." Sheila ducked her head, tucking her chin against her shoulder, and let out a long sigh of relief. He gave her a tender smile. "Look, I'm sorry. I don't know-"

"-What came over you?" She interrupted, finishing his sentence with a snap of attitude.

He blushed. "Yeah..."

"I know."

"Know what?"

She stood silently for a stretch of time, trying desperately to control the urge to blurt out all her secrets to him. A tear fell. "Why you did it." Her voice was shaky, low. _'It's because I'm a freak! Because my other half wants nothing more than to suck out your energy by seducing you...' _Sheila clenched her teeth and groaned, frustrated. "I can't do this." She shook her head. "I can't go on pretending I don't know what's going on with you and Caleb." _'The Covenant...'_ "Pretending like there's not this inner battle going on in me when you guys are around."_ 'This Power is going to destroy me...' _

Pogue watched the tear land on her bare foot with mute concern. "There's something else, isn't there?" Sheila studied the patterns on the tiled kitchen floor, shapes and spots blurring with more tears. "Something that has to do with Caleb, right?"

"Pogue?" _'Please, please understand...' _Sheila took in a deep, shuddering breath. _'Damn it! I could tell him... Who better to understand what I'm going through than one of the Sons...?' _"What if I were to tell you something?" She looked up and met his gaze head on. _'I'm half succubus! And guess what? I have magical Powers just like you do!' _"A secret..." She whispered, her bottom lip trembling, her face threatening to crumple into fresh tears.

"What kind of secret? Good or bad?"

"Uh..." She paused. _'Powers equal awesome. Sex equals good. Energy sucking equals bad.' _"That depends..."

Pogue placed his hand on her shoulder. "Tell me." Sheila nodded and opened her mouth to reply.

**BREAK**

"What the fuck does that kid think he's doing?"

Tyler followed Reid's gaze and, through the kitchen door, saw Pogue standing _way _too close to Sheila, his hand caressing her arm. He squinted his eyes. "He's castrating himself, that's what. If Caleb finds out about this, Pogue will soon be a woman." He shuddered. "And an ugly one at that..."

Reid shook his head. "What about Kate?"

"They broke up." Reid shot him a look and Tyler shrugged. "What? I thought you knew."

"He works fast, doesn't he?"

"Yeah well Kate pretty much ate his heart. I don't blame the guy for trying to ease the pain."

"But with Sheila?" Reid shook his head with a sardonic laugh. "Kid's got balls."

Tyler snickered. "Not for long..." He chalked the end of his cue stick, the blue powder sticking to his fingertips. "Should we tell Caleb?"

"What are we his lap dogs?"

"Oh shut up. You could be bought and sold in a second, you little whore."

Reid shrugged. "True..." Tyler laughed. "But back to the point. We don't have to tell Caleb anything. Her scent will be all over Pogue. Caleb will just know as soon as he comes home."

Tyler's face fell. "Which will be when...?"

Reid's boyish humor slowly disappeared and the worry that he tried so hard to mask from Tyler withered his features by ten years. "I don't know..." He sighed, breaking the triangular formation of the cue balls at the end of the pool table. "See, if you guys would've made that stupid tree house into the Bat Cave like I suggested we wouldn't be having this conversation. All we'd have to do is send up the Bat Signal every time one of us disappears and POOF! we are found."

"Seriously, Reid. The Bat Cave?"

"What? The only reason why you voted against it was because I said those curtains you made for the tree house were hideous."

Tyler sniffed. "I spent a lot of time on those curtains..." He went for a shot but hesitated at the last second, the white cue ball spinning along the side of the felt lined table. "Damn it." He muttered. "And for your information, Mr. Garwin, I didn't pick out that fabric. My mom did."

Reid pressed his lips into a thin line to keep from laughing. "That explains a whole lot..." Tyler scowled.

"Hey, you two, what's doing?"

**BREAK**

Sheila opened her mouth, the confession forming on her tongue but she made a mistake and looked into Pogue's eyes and froze. There was nothing but concern and empathy there. "I'm a... Er..." She hesitated, swallowing back her words along with the lump in her throat. She sighed, closing her eyes, and berated herself for overanalyzing it. "A virgin..." She squeaked. "I'm a virgin." _'No, you're a coward...' _

Pogue blinked, then started laughing. She frowned, planting her hands on her hips. "I'm sorry." He took a deep breath. "But that's it? That's what your secret is?"

Sheila found herself standing there in surprised silence. Of all things, she didn't think he would _laugh._ "Forget it." She growled, brushing roughly passed him. "I shouldn't have said anything."

He reached out and caught her hand, stopping her. "Wait. I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting that. I was a jerk to laugh at you."

She stared at him, her gaze hard. "And...?"

"And-" He sighed. "If that's what this whole thing is all about then I respect that. It's your decision and I shouldn't take advantage of it."

Her face softened. "Yeah, I'm new to this whole 'boy' thing so if it seems like I'm coming on to you, then I'm sorry. I don't mean to..." She shrugged. "Sometimes it feels like I have a whole other person inside me, controlling my actions and words. It's like your brain shuts down and you stop thinking and then all you do is feel... You know what I mean?"

Pogue nodded. _'Hmm... Reality check... Maybe I don't care about her that way and I just had a slight brain lapse...' _Caught up in his thoughts he didn't even move when she punched him in the shoulder. He stumbled, his arm stinging.

"Ow." He mouthed silently, clutching his arm. "What was that for?"

"For laughing at me."

"I said I was sorry!" He grinned. "Besides you can't be mad at me..."

She huffed. "I can't?" _'Whoa, deja vu...' _

"No." He opened a cupboard and pulled a sauce pan down, setting it on the stove with a soft 'clang'.

"Whatever..." She rolled her eyes as he poured milk into the pan, setting the flame on low. She had reached the kitchen door when he said the words that made her insides melt.

"I'm making hot chocolate..." He said in a taunting singsong voice.

She gripped the handle of the doorframe, hanging her head in defeat. Turning on her heel, she sat at an island stool in the middle of the kitchen without a word and watched him stir the cocoa powder into the milk. Dipping a spoon into the mix, he brought it to his lips and sipped, a deep rumble of a satisfied groan forming in his chest. He poured out two mugs, topping them with whipped cream and slid one in front of her.

Sheila eyed it before she slowly brought it to her lips. She took a long sip, her eyes closing in chocolate ecstasy, the drink was perfect as usual. Pogue watched her with a tiny smile.

"Well...?"

She set the mug down, some of the melted whipped cream sloshing down the sides. "I hate you." Her mouth was set in a thin line but her eyes danced with amusement.

Pogue snickered. "Who're you trying to kid?" He snatched up her mug, tilting his head toward the door and she got up, following him into the game room. He handed the hot cocoa back to her. "You love me..." He grinned and she laughed, playfully swatting his arm.

"Hey, you two, what's doing?" Reid and Tyler pegged the long haired boy with a pointed look causing Pogue to falter in his steps. Pogue shrugged. "What?"

Tyler ignored him completely, slumping away from the pool table and the gathered group with a snicker and slammed his pool stick back into the holder on the wall with an annoyed grunt.

Pogue frowned. "What's with him?"

Reid stared at him for a moment longer, then blinked and looked passed him to Sheila, ignoring the question completely. "You want to watch a movie, Sweetness?"

Sheila took a sip of cocoa, weighing the tension in the room from behind her whipped cream. She inwardly rolled her eyes. "Sure." She answered, being sure to make her voice extra sugary.

Reid nodded toward yet another door leading to who knew where on the other side of the vast room. "Theater's through there. Why don't go ahead and pick out a good one and we'll catch up with you in a sec, okay?" Sheila bowed out without saying another word, leaving the boys to sort out their drama. They all watched her go, no one moving (or even breathing, it seemed...) until the door clicked softly behind her.

"What the fuck was that all about?"

Pogue looked up, blinking in surprise when he realized the question had come out of Tyler's mouth. He furrowed his eyebrows. "What? It's just hot chocolate..."

"Not that. The thing in the kitchen that happened _before _the hot chocolate..."

"The Fruity Pebbles?"

Reid sighed. "He means the kiss, you dumb fuck." The room grew silent.

"Oh." Pogue could feel his face growing hot. "That." He dropped his gaze to the floor, embarrassed. "Look, guys, I-"

"Save it, Bubb." Tyler clapped a hand _hard _on his shoulder and gave it a sharp squeeze. Pogue winced. "You don't have to explain anything to us. We're not the ones you have to worry about." Tyler brushed roughly passed him, a grin and icy stare on his youthful face, and stood right behind him, waiting.

Pogue lifted his head, his jaw clenched. "You're not going to tell him...?"

Reid laughed, walking over to Pogue and tugged the mug from his hands. "Nope." He took a deep sip. "Mmm... Good stuff..." He handed it back to Pogue with a deliberate shove, almost spilling it all over the cocoa maker's hand.

"I don't understand..." Pogue furrowed his eyebrows and inclined his head toward Tyler. "Tyler, you're like Spenser's very own 'Gossip Girl'..." He shifted around again, meeting Reid's crystal blue eyes. "Why _wouldn't _you tell him?"

Reid shrugged. "It's not our place." He nodded in Tyler's direction. "Right, Baby Boy?" Tyler gave him the equivalent of a facial shrug. "Besides, Caleb just Ascended. I'm sure he'll be able to **sniff **out the truth soon enough..." He casually picked lint off of Pogue's shirt, deliberating invading the other boy's personal space. "Speaking of which... Pogue, you smell-" He leaned in close to Pogue's neck and drew in a deep breath through his noise. Pogue shuffled back a step with an almost disgusted look on his face and felt Tyler's hands on his waist, stopping him. "Hmm... You using a new body wash?"

Pogue shook his head, restricted in his movements and unable to talk. He'd never been tag teamed by Reid and Tyler before and quite frankly, he was getting kind of scared. Reid gave him a sly grin and shrugged. "Well whatever it is, it smells amazing..."

Pogue felt Tyler inch closer to him and he resisted the urge to shudder when he felt the younger boy's lips vibrate against his ear. "Just like fresh peaches..." Tyler's mouth made its way down his neck, leaving a burning hot trail in its wake. "Delicious..." He felt Tyler smile against his skin, heard the small laugh that the other two boys shared as they roughly left him, escaping to the theater room.

He watched them go, his body shaking with banked rage and embarrassment. Pogue had the greatest urge to throw his cocoa mug at the door they had just gone through but her voice stopped him.

"Pogue? Are you coming?"

His heart sped up when she said his name. "Yeah." He croaked out, his hands shaking. He took a several deep breaths, taking a few minutes to collect himself.

"Pogue?"

He grew instantly hard, her sweet, melodic voice slicing through every single one of his thoughts, the mug finally shattering between his hard grip. Hot chocolate dripped pathetically from his fingertips. He looked down at himself, his eyes going black and scrubbing away the chocolate stains from his pants and the carpet, the mug coming together as a whole.

"Fuck." He cursed and made his way to the other room.

**A/N: So there it was. Not the best. Probably not what you wanted but the next one will be better I promise and you know why? Because Caleb comes home... grin**


End file.
